Spotlight

Mark Ruffalo nails it. He plays Mike Rezendes, a Boston journalist who is part of the "Spotlight" team. This team does long-term investigative journalism for the Globe and have been digging into the Catholic Church child molestation scandal in the late 90's. What I particularly liked about the film is that it was not sensationalized, it was not even really about the church or the scandal. It was about the journalists who pursued the uncovering of the facts, and it was about Boston. I found it fascinating how closed and protective people in Boston were about their own. And how accepting they were of things that they thought were not changeable. I suppose this becomes an expose for all of us about who needs to act against an injustice. In this film, there are many examples, the protagonists included, who have decided that it was up to someone else. Until this particular configuration of a Spotlight team comes along with a particular boss, with a particular combination of people and events. Ruffalo really becomes the bulldog, willing to pursue facts in uncomfortable situations, and even to push his colleagues beyond their comfort levels as well. I was fascinated throughout.

5 stars (out of 5)