I recently watched the movie “Spotlight” starring Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams. The film is about the Roman Catholic Church molestation scandal exposed by the Boston Globe in 2001.
“Spotlight” was one of the most thoroughly researched and carried out movies I have ever seen, and it was mind blowing. Most people have some knowledge of the scandal in the Catholic Church, but the amount of true detail in this film is something to be commended. Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Atheist - everyone should see this movie. Although Spotlight exposes a huge scandal covered up by the Roman Catholic Church, the film achieves much more than merely recapping events discovered in the early 2000s. Here is a list of reasons why everyone should see the movie Spotlight regardless of your religious beliefs.
Attention to Detail:
Spotlight is set in Boston in 2001, and the attention to detail is amazing. Every piece of the film stays true to 2001, even Mark Ruffalo’s car is straight out of the early 2000s. A film based on true events can really capture the viewer by immersing them into the time period. Growing up in the Boston area during this time, the visuals in Spotlight stayed true to Boston in the early 2000s.
Importance of Journalism:
Spotlight shows the importance of thorough journalism. Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams both portray Boston Globe reporters who exposed the scandal, Mike Rezendes and Sacha Pfeiffer respectively. Journalists are often considered people who pester and annoy until they get the information they desire. Rather than the stereotypical journalist, Ruffalo and McAdams seem almost like detectives who are dedicated to uncovering the truth. They are not pests who are looking for a quick story to pay the bills, but instead, they are intelligent people who are dedicated to finding the truth. Spotlight shows how journalism can be just as important as detective work.
Lead Performances:
Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams are both reporters for the Boston Globe and Michael Keating is their boss-like superior instructing their work. Both McAdams and Keating are essential to the film, and they do well, but Mark Ruffalo stole the show. Mark Ruffalo is the character in the film that would make the viewer listen to every word closely. Although some can be contributed to the writing, Ruffalo delivered with such subtlety that every word he spoke seemed integral to the film. Towards the end of Spotlight, Ruffalo is pushing to publish the story early, before other newspapers catch on, and has an emotional outburst to Michael Keating that really displays his true skill as an actor.
Acting Skill of Minor Characters:
Minor characters in the film delivered strong performances throughout the movie. For example, Ruffalo and McAdams over the course of the film interview victims, lawyers, and other stakeholders in the potential story, and the acting performances are spot on. You hung on every word the victim told the journalist, you wanted to pry the information out of lawyers, and you wanted to find out what was really going on as well. The minor roles in the film added a sense of emotion to the film, making it feel much larger than just a news story.
Any movie that covers an important historical event is worth a watch, especially since Spotlight is widely acclaimed. The scandal unfolds to the Boston Globe supporter’s right before your eyes, making the movie thrilling. Sorry to my Catholic relatives and friends, but Spotlight is an eye-opening film that every person should experience.
