Recommendation: 5/5 Stars
The Cinephile’s Journey is an attempt to watch and review every film that has won The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Oscar for Best Picture.
Plot: “The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.” -IMDB
Review: Of the thousands of films I have watched in a theater and the thousands of films I have watched at home, I have only rated 63 films as perfect. Spotlight is one of those movies.
In my estimation, it is evidence that it is adult, mid-budget films that possess the true power to change an audience member. It is further proof that this elusive change intensifies in a communal setting, such as a theater. Now, that is not a slight directed at superhero films, blockbusters, or low-budget horror films. Those movies can also be engines for empathy too. But movies like Spotlight do something special. They often transport you to a world where ordinary people meet the challenges of extraordinary circumstances. In their tribulations, we learn, we grow, and we see ourselves. When this happens, the cinematic experience becomes something magical.
This film highlights the courage of those who fought against the Catholic Church's inaction. Pursuing the truth, we finally hear from the victims. Thanks to the work of journalists, justice reclaims space. This film also avoids the pitfalls of becoming another procedural story about the world of journalism. It does this by ensuring we feel the full weight of discovery. To maintain power, the church covered up decades of abuse and an entire city helped them do it. That sin, ignorance, and complicity carry a damning weight, leaving very few unscared.
This film also throws into question our institutions. What happens when a religion becomes so powerful it answers to no one? What would happen if we allowed journalism to die? Who speaks for those without a voice? These questions feel profound as a victim recounts his abuse to a journalist, Mike Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo). After his father dies by suicide, he describes a priest paying attention to him as, “it was like God showing up.” Shortly after, the abuse began. Without some advocacy on behalf of the truth, how does that victim ever find justice?
Another thing I love about this film is the pacing. Investigative journalism is slow and agonizing work filled with dead ends. It is a slog with roadblocks around every corner. This film understands that reality. The journalists get more right than wrong, but very little comes easily. They must fight and scratch for every inch of truth.
Finally, I love almost any film that displays a romance for the written word. Every member of the Spotlight team believes in this power. This is a film that exemplifies the power of the pen over the sword. A well-crafted story can move mountains and it can bring down corrupt institutions.
I have lost track of how many times I have watched this film. It rocked me to my core when I originally saw it in theaters. It still leaves me in awe. That awe still springs from a belief that thoughtful storytelling can change the world.
Be good to each other,
Nathan