REVIEW: Spotlight

Courtesy of Open Road

(Now playing in limited release and expanding in the coming weeks.)

Michael Keaton has played a journalist several times throughout his career (including The Paper and Live from Baghdad), and the results have always been terrific. But his latest turn as part of the real-life team of reporters and editors who uncovered decades of abuse within the Catholic Church is his best yet. In fact, all of the actors involved in this harrowing drama – including Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Brian d’Arcy James, Liev Schreiber and John Slattery – deliver some of the best performances of their careers.

Spotlight played several film festivals earlier this fall, and the response from critics was rapturous. Many called it the best movie about journalism since All the President’s Men, high praise that sounded a bit unlikely. However, now that I’ve seen it, I absolutely agree. It’s one of the year’s best films and journalism professors will be teaching in their classrooms for years to come.

Keaton plays Walter “Robby” Robinson, the editor in charge of the Boston Globe’s esteemed Spotlight division. The journalists (Ruffalo, McAdams and James) devote themselves to long-term, complex stories – the kind that often take months to research and report. When a new boss (Schreiber) points out some allegations involving a local priest and children, the team realizes most of them have been too close to the story to see it clearly.

The team delves into the horrifying details of the scandal by interviewing victims, questioning community leaders and wading through decades of mind-numbing paperwork. Ultimately, they uncover a conspiracy that spans generations and reaches to the highest levels of Boston’s religious community, law offices and governmental organizations. Not only that, the revelations shed light on similar allegations around the world.

Clearly, Spotlight isn’t the feel-good movie of the year. But it does point out the important role the news media is supposed to play in our society. It’s a timely message as election season cranks up and we see politicians treating reporters like villains for asking relevant questions, or the 24-hour news cycle focusing on inane drivel instead of crucial issues.

The film also illustrates the importance of a compelling story and strong dialogue. Most of Spotlight takes place in bland offices, poorly-lit basements and cramped living rooms, but every moment is riveting because the main characters are fiercely intelligent, fundamentally good and they know they’re chasing an honorable goal.

Director Tom McCarthy (who also co-wrote the screenplay with Josh Singer) is in the middle of a wild career resurgence. In 2014, he was taking a critical drubbing for The Cobbler, a bizarre modern fairy tale starring Adam Sandler. Just one year later, his movie is a top contender for Best Picture, he’s in Best Director and Best Original Screenplay conversations, and several of his actors might be headed for nominations in the supporting categories.

At the moment, Spotlight is only playing at a single Atlanta theater – the Tara. It’s worth the drive, but I know that’s a bit extreme for non-movie nerds. At any rate, keep an eye on this one as it slowly expands to more locations. It’s that rare important movie that manages to feel like entertainment instead of homework.

Spotlight is rated R for some language including sexual references.

Grade: A