Spotlight is a modern day classic and what makes it specifically special, and rightfully shocking, is that this isn’t fiction. Here we follow the real-life story of the Boston Globe’s investigative news team as they worked tirelessly over a year to uncover the appalling scandal of child abuse within the Catholic Church. It shows us the work the journalist team put together and the problems that came their way as this local story eventually stretched out across the world. Once the story broke; people who suffered abuse began to come forward to tell their story. This wasn’t just a few priests, it was thousands.
If you like your tight-scripted drama with a compelling narrative that’s effortlessly portrayed by a wonderful ensemble cast, then this is definitely your kind of film. The underlying story might be one of true, horrific truths but what Spotlight does is concentrate on the true investigative work done by the journalists at the Globe. In an age where journalism is struggling to connect in a positive manner, by that I mean one that’s respected, it’s genuinely inspiring to see the commitment to getting the story right, checking all the sources and making sure it’s out there as good as it can be. These are days of sensationalism regarding so-called celebrity but when the news is done correctly, Spotlight makes you long for the days of honesty and hard work.
What makes Spotlight particularly compelling is Tom McCarthy’s natural direction and perfectly caught era, by honing in on the lives of the reporters and their integrity in making accurate discoveries (despite worries from some that they may have missed vital information in the past) it brings it right up to your doorstop. Michael Keaton, Liev Schreiber, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Stanley Tucci, John Slattery, and Brian d’Arcy James all have individual character angles and the desire to dig a little deeper and in truth if their real-life counterparts hadn’t have done what they did, would we ever know? That’s a chilling thought.
Even if you know, or don’t, the outcome that shocked the world, Spotlight is worth every moment as you feel like you’re reliving the findings with the reporters. They had to go up against the establishment and the best thing of all, for everyone concerned, is that they won. This is a smart portrayal of investigative work at its finest and the fact they fought to get it done until they could bring the guilty into the light, well, it’s astonishing.
Spotlight is available on Blu-ray and DVD from 23 May.
Extras: The special features have a short featurette with the original reporters as they talk about what happened and how it took over their lives. It’s insightful alongside the other extras that are all worth a watch.
