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 #226 | Won 2 Oscars. Another 122 wins & 143 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 | catholic church | cover up | 

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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

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jimmy LeBlanc, who plays Patrick McSorley, was himself an actual survivor of the clerical abuse scandal, so when director Tom McCarthy first brought him in for rehearsals with Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton and Stanley Tucci, he was concerned that 'revisiting' Jimmy's abusive past might be too emotionally traumatic for him. However, as McCarthy later accompanied Jimmy out after the session, he asked him if he was freaked out by his first 'acting' experience with the other actors. "Of course I'm freaked out," Jimmy said, "that was the Hulk, and Batman, and that guy from The Devil Wears Prada."

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Goofs

Ben Bradlee jokingly claims to be the Archbishop of Canterbury when Mike is spooked and asks who is at his door. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the head of the Church of England, and would likely have little interest in protecting the reputation of the Roman Catholic Church.

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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

Referenced in The Simpsons: Warrin' Priests Part 2 (2020)

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Soundtracks

Cornucopia
Written and Performed by Tom Keane
Courtesy of Masonmack Music Inc.

User Reviews

One of the greatest horror films of all time

... because by the time the credits roll and you start to breathe normally again, you will suddenly realize that this was not a horror film as such, this was a re-enactment of events that actually happened, with real victims and real perpetrators and real well-meaning third parties covering up the whole thing as fast as the body count kept piling up.

And then you will once again have difficulty catching your breath.

As a film it is superb. McCarthy who did double duty as writer and director deserves acknowledgement. The cast is universally excellent. Ruffalo gives the performance of his career, Keaton is solid as a rock, and McAdams reaps overdue dividends from her decision to broaden her career into non-glamorous roles at a time when the only scripts they were sending her were for Diva parts. Smart lady.

A reviewer is not supposed to interject personal feelings in a review but I will say without apology that I miss films like these -- films that speak for the injustice in society and offer solutions -- and wish there were more of them. It seems that when I was younger there was a lot more interest in doing the right thing merely because it was the right thing. This no longer seems to be the societal meme, and that troubles me.

A must-see.

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:

$98,690,254

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