Monday, August 22, 2022

Best Picture Nominee Movie Catch Up: Spotlight

Spotlight (2015)

Directed by Tom McCarthy

Screenplay by Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy

Stars: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Brian d'Arcy James, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci, Billy Crudup,  Jamey Sheridan, and Neal Huff

I remember when the scandal broke with the sexual abuse, and the Catholic Church trying to cover it up. I was disgusted. My views on organized religion were deteriorating at the time and I had good reason. This movie has to be seen.

During the summer of 2001, the Spotlight Team as part of The Boston Globe are urged to do a story about the child sexual abuse case by their new Editor-At-Large, Marty Baron (Schrieber). The team headed by Robby (Keaton) wants to keep the story hush until they are ready to publish the expose. Mike (Ruffalo) and Sacha (McAdams) dig deeper to find something bigger than they thought possible.

This movie is a slow burn. The beginning of the movie was a bit clunky with that opening scene in the 70s. I guess, it was establishing the Church's complicity to the abuse. Sure. We already know what happened. That scene doesn't need to be there.

The actors were solid in the movie. In my opinion, I thought that Mark Ruffalo gave a great performance as Mike. I was confused when I learned that his character was Puerto Rican. Made me side eye the film. Or when Stanley Tucci, playing Mitchell Garabedian, said that he was Armenian. Right.

By the end of the movie, I wanted all the churches to burn. I know that big organizations will be corrupt or try to protect their own people. This movie was gripping.

Rating: 9/10

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