Spotlight (2015)

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.

Director:

Tom McCarthy

Writers:

Josh Singer, Tom McCarthy

Stars:

Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams

Top Rated Movies #225 | Won 2 Oscars. Another 123 wins & 141 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mark Ruffalo	...	Mike Rezendes
Michael Keaton	...	Walter 'Robby' Robinson
Rachel McAdams	...	Sacha Pfeiffer
Liev Schreiber	...	Marty Baron
John Slattery	...	Ben Bradlee Jr.
Brian d'Arcy James	...	Matt Carroll
Stanley Tucci	...	Mitchell Garabedian
Elena Wohl	...	Barbara
Gene Amoroso	...	Steve Kurkjian
Doug Murray	...	Peter Canellos
Sharon McFarlane	...	Helen Donovan
Jamey Sheridan	...	Jim Sullivan
Neal Huff	...	Phil Saviano
Billy Crudup	...	Eric Macleish
Robert B. Kennedy	...	Court Clerk Mark

Storyline

When the Boston Globe's tenacious "Spotlight" team of reporters delves into allegations of abuse in the Catholic Church, their year-long investigation uncovers a decades-long cover-up at the highest levels of Boston's religious, legal, and government establishment, touching off a wave of revelations around the world.

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Plot Keywords:

child molestation | investigation | sexual abuse | cover up | newspaper | 

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Taglines:

The true story behind the scandal that shook the world.

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Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language including sexual references

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Page Official Site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 November 2015 (USA)

Also Known As:

Spotlight

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$295,009, 8 November 2015

Gross USA:

$45,055,776

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$98,275,238

Company Credits

Production Co:

Participant, First Look Media, Anonymous Content

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the real Walter Robinson visited the set, he was very impressed after seeing Michael Keaton sitting at an exact copy of his desk, a two-fingered typist, just like him, his lips pursed, peering through reading glasses at a 2001 Globe computer screen.

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Goofs

During the cab ride, after Michael Rezendes pays for copies of the sealed documents, he tells the cab driver to take Dorchester Avenue and stay off I-93. The cab is never on Dorchester Ave, and hits I-93 south.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Young Cop: How's that going?
Court Clerk Mark: Mother's bawlin' and the uncle is pissed off.
Young Cop: She's not married?
Court Clerk Mark: Divorced, with 4 kids. I guess the Father was helping out.
Young Cop: Helping out?
Court Clerk Mark: ...Hey, Mr. Burke, they're in the back talking to the Bishop.
Paul Burke: [entering] And Father?
Court Clerk Mark: We put him in the break room.
Paul Burke: Any press?
[...]

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Connections

Featured in The Oscars (2018)

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Soundtracks

Walk My Street
Written by Mackenzie
Performed by Sundaes

User Reviews

Super film

It won best film, deservedly so. This is a film that resonated with me long after I watched it. The complicated tale of the investigation of paedophile priests in Boston and the publication of it is told in riveting fashion by Tom Macarthy who does not waste a frame or a scene to anything less than the plot or character development. I never felt the running time or in any way disbelieved any of the actors in their portrayals.

Keaton seems to be on a total roll at the moment and he is excellent as the head of Spotlight but the whole ensemble seemed to put in a real shift. This felt like a documentary at times and I could feel the audience around me leaning forward as each new revelation is uttered.

Just brilliant.