Spotlight Review
Faced with surprisingly little homework last week, I logged on to Netflix after a long day of Zoom meetings to unwind while I got ready for bed. I planned to watch an episode of a comfort show, likely Gilmore Girls or Schitt's Creek but was intrigued by the banner displaying a new addition to Netflix – the 2016 film Spotlight. I clicked and began to watch, unsure of what I was getting myself into while sure I'd probably only get 30 minutes in before delegating the rest to be watched another night. To my surprise, I was too fascinated to turn it off and ended up watching it all in one sitting.
Directed by Tom McCarthy, Spotlight follows the Boston Globe's investigative journalism team, also called Spotlight, as they investigate child sex abuse within the Boston Catholic archdiocese. From the beginning intent to explore a singular priest, the team slowly uncovers a much larger systemic abuse problem in the Catholic church. Rather than centering the story on a single reporter on the team, the biographical drama utilizes a killer ensemble cast including Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, John Slattery, and Stanley Tucci, alongside Brian d'Arcy James, Liev Schreiber, and Billy Crudup. It's refreshing to see reporters portrayed as normal people doing important work rather than the larger than life heroic portrayals in similar films. The entire ensemble shines in their roles and continues to capture the emotions of the audience throughout the investigative process. Just when I was at my peak frustration, so were their characters. When I was processing the gravity of each newly uncovered piece of information, so were they. These choices keep viewers on their toes with the thrilling, emotive pace, of each revelation.
In fact, the most enjoyable aspect of this movie was that it strayed away from the typical emotional breakdowns or confessions in dramas. Instead, it is the escalating tension as the journalists discover the deep systematic cover-up that makes the film captivating. The movie centers around conversation – a risky choice that can often make similar films boring. However, Spotlight does an excellent job of weaving together different storylines through dialogue that will still keep you fully engaged and immersed in the chilling scenes. The cinematography reflects this intent and favors simple shots and edits in a moving way while allowing the audience to focus primarily on the story.
Spotlight ultimately explores systemic abuse and how to dismantle an institution – even one as large as the Catholic church. In this exploration, the movie emphasizes the power of journalism and the written word through examining the nuance of the issue and without idolizing the journalists, making the film an educational and impactful must-see.
