"Spotlight" limits its scope to the investigation of what happened in Boston regarding the Roman Catholic Sex Abuse Scandal and its strength comes from keeping this tight focus. It doesn't attempt to broaden the subject. The dramatic tension comes from the difficulties encountered by journalists struggling to get to the truth while beset by budget cuts, reluctant victims and stonewalling church and legal officials. In 2001, The Boston Globe's 'Spotlight' team, consisting of editor Walter "Robby" Robinson (Michael Keaton), and reporters Mike Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo), Sacha Pfeiffer (Rachel McAdams) and Matt Carroll (Brian d'Arcy James), began investigating allegations of cover-ups of sexual abuse within the Massachusetts Roman Catholic Church. Initially faced with a handful of violations, the number of possible cases grew from four to 13 to an astonishing 90. After following leads, interviewing victims and lawyers and devoting months to the effort, the reporters wrote the story in early 2002 and triggered a tsunami that swept across the country and around the world.
Director Tom McCarthy keeps a firm hand on the reins as he doesn't milk a volatile situation for pathos (Which would be easy to do). He chronicles the journalists' investigation without minimizing the importance of the crimes they're probing. "Spotlight succeeds in presenting many of the heart wrenching stories respectfully while not losing itself in the turmoil. The ensemble cast is another strength of the movie, which has no lead actor. Mark Ruffalo and Michael Keaton give forceful, compelling portrayals as do Rachel McAdams and Brian d'Arcy James. Add Liev Schreiber (as the new Globe managing editor), John Slattery (as the deputy managing editor) and Stanley Tucci (as victims' lawyer Mitchell Garabedian) and you have a tremendously talented cast. "Spotlight" is a David vs. Goliath story, one of professionals dedicated to their craft and determined to break through barriers to strike at a seemingly impervious institution. Without the Spotlight team, would the crimes of the Catholic Church come to light?
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