Spotlight is a procedural journalism story in the style of All the Presidents Men, about the Boston Globe's investigative team that uncovered the Catholic Church's cover-up of hundreds of its priests' molesting children. While the crimes are horrific, the film retains an intellectual feel that keeps it from dipping into melodrama; it wasn't the kind of thing during which I would well up, except at the very end when a particular "fact card" came up and gut-punchingly brought the whole thing home (no spoilers). With a lot of verisimilitude, no glamorizing, pretty great naturalistic - even anti-filmic - performances from all involved, Spotlight is the kind of film that somehow makes phone calls and paperwork exciting and fills you with apprehension. I think "award" season is well and truly launched.
Spotlight moves methodically through an ever-expanding and frightening series of cases of abusive Catholic priests in Boston. Direct, with little space wasted on grandstanding or calls to action, the film draws you into a web of scandal so fully it's as if the eponymous spotlight was illuminating the film rather than the characters illuminating a scandal.
Performances are excellent though there is some debate over whether Keaton and Ruffalo's accents are great or distracting. There are other transient characters that feel completely like non-actors as well.
With great pacing, the film only makes a few awkward edits, yet Spotlight remains a fascinating look at how a team took on the Catholic Church.
WOW! After watching all 8 candidates to Best Motion Picture, this one really stands out. Very interesting story and brilliant acting make it my favourite for this year. A very angry Mark Ruffalo gave me goosebumps in his "Why are we hesitating now?" scene.
Looking at the previous comments I think I'm going to be going against popular opinion here, but I was a little disappointed.
On the plus side:
- well acted across the board (Keaton's accent starts out brash, but quickly blends in)
- direct and faithful to the story: no unnecessary sub-plots, no for-the-sake-of-it romance, didn't need to be graphic or dwell on the sensitive subject matter
- just the right amount of comic relief moments for the subject matter (count of maybe 4..?)
Conversely:
- Ruffalo's "we need to release the story now" speech looks like it came straight out of "Winning an Oscar Acting Nomination for Dummies". Not from the way he delivers it, but the lines, the background noise hushing to zero and the intense dramatic close-up. It was a real cringe over-dramatization moment for me in an otherwise perfectly naturalistic film.
- After watching the film I felt like I hadn't gained anything I could've gotten from reading a corresponding Wikipedia article. Maybe it's just me as a desensitized cynic of Catholicism, but the film didn't shock or suprise, didn't thrill me or hook me, didn't inspire great empathy or sympathy or horror. I don't think a film needs to do any of these things by any means, but in the absence of them I had very little strong opinion or feeling about the film after watching.
Basically I thought this was a good solid film, about an important story needing to be told, but not a great film, and I would be fairly disappointed if Hollywood selects this as the torchbearer for film in 2015 on Feb 28.
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Comments 1 - 15 of 30
poppunknerd182
This movie really only needs a one word review.Powerful.
Siskoid
Spotlight is a procedural journalism story in the style of All the Presidents Men, about the Boston Globe's investigative team that uncovered the Catholic Church's cover-up of hundreds of its priests' molesting children. While the crimes are horrific, the film retains an intellectual feel that keeps it from dipping into melodrama; it wasn't the kind of thing during which I would well up, except at the very end when a particular "fact card" came up and gut-punchingly brought the whole thing home (no spoilers). With a lot of verisimilitude, no glamorizing, pretty great naturalistic - even anti-filmic - performances from all involved, Spotlight is the kind of film that somehow makes phone calls and paperwork exciting and fills you with apprehension. I think "award" season is well and truly launched.frankqb
Spotlight moves methodically through an ever-expanding and frightening series of cases of abusive Catholic priests in Boston. Direct, with little space wasted on grandstanding or calls to action, the film draws you into a web of scandal so fully it's as if the eponymous spotlight was illuminating the film rather than the characters illuminating a scandal.Performances are excellent though there is some debate over whether Keaton and Ruffalo's accents are great or distracting. There are other transient characters that feel completely like non-actors as well.
With great pacing, the film only makes a few awkward edits, yet Spotlight remains a fascinating look at how a team took on the Catholic Church.
4 stars out of 4
TalkingElvish
An incredibly dense and sprawling story that is immaculately edited, well acted and totally transfixing. One of the films of the year no question.Clintmwells
Excellent film. Well written with great performances, particularly by Ruffalo.I quite enjoyed the soundtrack as well.
justwannaboogie
Taut, succinct and well executed. The ending is both moving and satisfying.chryzsh
Brilliant executionchunkylefunga
Interesting and well though out movie about such a disgusting, ongoing, cover up by the church.Amazing that in this day and ages the rapists aren't gaoled and simply moved to another parish.
JCL
One of the best movies I've seenGod
this will win best picturePratsy
refreshingly understated, Spotlight avoids falling into tired "THIS GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP" clichésTiago Costa
3 /5jm_london
WOW! After watching all 8 candidates to Best Motion Picture, this one really stands out. Very interesting story and brilliant acting make it my favourite for this year. A very angry Mark Ruffalo gave me goosebumps in his "Why are we hesitating now?" scene.dchauvin
Looking at the previous comments I think I'm going to be going against popular opinion here, but I was a little disappointed.On the plus side:
- well acted across the board (Keaton's accent starts out brash, but quickly blends in)
- direct and faithful to the story: no unnecessary sub-plots, no for-the-sake-of-it romance, didn't need to be graphic or dwell on the sensitive subject matter
- just the right amount of comic relief moments for the subject matter (count of maybe 4..?)
Conversely:
- Ruffalo's "we need to release the story now" speech looks like it came straight out of "Winning an Oscar Acting Nomination for Dummies". Not from the way he delivers it, but the lines, the background noise hushing to zero and the intense dramatic close-up. It was a real cringe over-dramatization moment for me in an otherwise perfectly naturalistic film.
- After watching the film I felt like I hadn't gained anything I could've gotten from reading a corresponding Wikipedia article. Maybe it's just me as a desensitized cynic of Catholicism, but the film didn't shock or suprise, didn't thrill me or hook me, didn't inspire great empathy or sympathy or horror. I don't think a film needs to do any of these things by any means, but in the absence of them I had very little strong opinion or feeling about the film after watching.
Basically I thought this was a good solid film, about an important story needing to be told, but not a great film, and I would be fairly disappointed if Hollywood selects this as the torchbearer for film in 2015 on Feb 28.
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An essential movie that needs to be watched!Showing items 1 – 15 of 30