Spotlight is directed by Tom McCarthy and stars Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Michael Keaton, Brian d’Arcy James, John Slattery, Liev Schreiber and Stanley Tucci. In 2001, the Boston Globe’s investigative unit ‘Spotlight’ opened an investigation into the Catholic church after a priest was found to have been sexually abusing children in his parish in Boston, and what they uncovered was a shocking and sinister scandal that sent shockwaves not only across the United States, but across the world too.
Spotlight is a remarkable film; never before have I seen a film based on true events that refuses to resort to typical ‘Hollywood’ clichés. Director Tom McCarthy and co-writer Josh Singer show astonishing restraint in staying true to the facts, and the result of this is an intelligent, thoughtful and impactful drama that only gets better and better the more you think about it.
It’s True, It’s Realistic.
Spotlight’s dialogue and screenplay are its two biggest strengths. It would have been incredibly easy for the filmmakers to heavily dramatize the actual events (possibly to pander to the Academy in desperate need of recognition for their work), but McCarthy and Singer wisely use subtlety and superb attention to detail to depict the story in a way that feels true and realistic. These two factors make Spotlight feel unique. Although not a thriller, the film unravels like a mystery, and through wonderfully realistic dialogue it holds your attention and engrosses you throughout the two-hour running time. The writers also smartly sidestep revealing the personal relationships of our main characters; families and relatives are hinted at but rarely seen, maintaining the focus on the story and the issue at hand.
The Cast.
The ensemble cast is terrific, with the highlight performances coming from Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams and Michael Keaton. Ruffalo gives his character an eager and passionate, sometimes fiery, edge. McAdams plays her character with a stoic expression, but you can see in her eyes that she is torn. Keaton’s character is an intelligent and humorous man, given the best lines of dialogue and he delivers them brilliantly. Stanley Tucci is superb in his supporting role as an attorney, as is Billy Crudup. Brian d’Arcy James fills out the Spotlight team with a strong performance, and John Slattery and Liev Schreiber provide good support as the chief editors of the Boston Globe.
Technically Meh?
The score, provided by the multi-award winning Howard Shore, is emotive and will tug at your heartstrings, with a few simple piano notes used sparingly alongside each scene change, but I do wish that they had experimented with the score more, as it is mostly the same piano notes used over and over again. The camerawork, while effective, is sometimes fairly basic and, again, I would have liked to see them experiment a little bit more.
The Verdict.
Spotlight is smart, engaging, and will stay with you for a long time afterwards. A fantastically written story is backed up with solid performances and focused direction and, if I had it my way, Spotlight would win the Best Picture Oscar at the Academy Awards this month.
8/10.
Words by Jake Constable