Spotlight (Review) - Powerful, Important Cinema

Every now and then, a film will come along that genuinely feels tangibly important. Sure, there are films that have important political or social messages which will remain with you long after viewing, but with Spotlight, you feel unapologetically shaken to the core. While it remains a dramatisation of what happened in 2001 with the Boston Globe, its unflinching lack of reprieve truly makes it a memorable experience. 

It's typically a good idea to begin with a little bit of the plot, so here's that: Spotlight shines a light on the notable event in 2001, when the Boston Globe newspaper chose to reveal the huge cover-up the Catholic Church had committed in terms of their priests and paedophilia. Specifically, it focuses on the 'Spotlight' team who work at the Globe - a group known primarily for their intense focus on swept-under-the-rug' stories. Throughout the course of the film, it's revealed that the cover-up goes far higher than any member of the group could have imagined, and paints a chilling story of corruption, paedophilia, and hierarchy. 

Obviously, the film deals with some very heavy content, but it's handled in a manner that is both respectful and eye-opening. There are some harrowing accounts of molestation from some of the victims of the priests, but these never feel exploitative. Naturally, the film is a work of fiction, but some of the acting is so powerful that it feels like documented interviews. In fact, some of the lesser known actors rival the bigger names present. Mark Ruffalo, for example, feels slightly unenthusiastic towards the start of the film, but thankfully improves as the story progresses. Michael Keaton, on the other hand, is consistently stellar as the Spotlight team's leader, and stands out within the film. 

You've really got to give it to the film, though; it manages to make over two hours of nothing but journalism consistently shocking and engaging. There wasn't a single moment during the movie that I found myself bored. Not even during the first half, when the conspiracy isn't fully revealed, does it feel mundane; conversations are filled with euphemisms and huge elephants in the room are left without a comment, which builds the dramatic tension surprisingly high. Despite most people knowing how the story ends, it still retains an unfaltering sense of suspense.

If Spotlight has any faults, it would be that it does feel slightly rushed, or, at the very least, it doesn't return to topics which warrant considerable interest. This is forgiveable when you consider how much content it needs to breeze through, but there's a moment in particular when a priest is quoted as justifying his abuse of children which is never returned to - despite Michael Keaton's character saying that they'd dig deeper into the topic. It almost feels like this scene was put in for shock factor alone - otherwise, why wouldn't they explore it more? However, it's a small complaint for such an interesting film. 

Verdict
Spotlight is the kind of film that doesn't necessarily warrant a second viewing, but still deserves to be seen at least once. It's informative, as well as thoroughly entertaining throughout. Of course, the subject matter is heavy and might be off-putting to some, but it should still be experienced from an educational perspective.  Overall? Worth your money. 

"They say it's just physical abuse, but it's more than that. This was spiritual abuse. You know why I went along with everything? Because priests, are supposed to be the good guys."