Spotlight is the best movie I’ve seen in 2015. It’s almost as good as the best journalism movie ever: All the President’s Men. Based on a true story, Spotlight tells the story of a Boston Globe investigative team who starts looking into what was to become one of the most shocking newspaper series of the past 20 years. What the team uncovered in 2001 about pedophile priests is still having seismic effects around the world. Michael Keaton plays Robby Robinson, the Spotlight team leader. John Slattery is Ben Bradlee, Jr. who remains skeptical about the project until almost the end. Rachel McAdams as Sacha Pfeiffer leads the team in personal interviews with victims. I loved Mark Ruffalo as Michael Rezendes, an emotional reporter who becomes obsessed with the investigation into the conspiracy. I’m not a big Liev Schrieber fan, but he’s powerful in Spotlight as Marty Baron, the Globe’s new Jewish editor-in-chief who refuses to play it safe. Spotlight will be a contender for Best Film at Oscar time. GRADE: A
It didn’t work for us as well. Our familiarity with the story made us crave more characterization or sense of time or place. It was well acted and well made but the script was sort of predictable. Not sorry I saw it but a B for us. I never felt they were as risk and perhaps filtering it through a victim more might have made it more personal. Hard to put my finger on the exact reason, but it just felt soft.
Patti, I think SPOTLIGHT is a complicated movie with a lot of moving parts. I liked the cast and the tension in the investigation.
For me, it was a bit better than ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN–less hugger-mugger and less support of self-celebration by the reporters (over the years, Woodward has proven to be a pompous ass, while I have a higher opinion of Bernstein even if I wouldn’t want to live with him), even if I can see why Patti might’ve found the dramatic potential of the events less exploited than it might be. It’s always fascinating to me the degree to which people will decide that, say, the RC Church is impossible to challenge…because they won’t challenge it. Unfortunate resonance with the Penn State coach rape scandal, with an even more ridiculous unwillingness to see the facts before us…but, then, the Wilkes-Barre shipping kids off to private jail for gum-chewing to get kickbacks scandal has also been called to mind…
Todd, ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN will always be an audience favorite because of the higher-stakes and Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman. SPOTLIGHT doesn’t have Star Power of that massive voltage. But, as you say, it’s a more realistic portrayal of the investigative process.
I’d suggest the caliber of THE SPOTLIGHT cast is on par with PRESIDENT, but, indeed, the journalists themselves were probably in a little less danger than the POST journalists might’ve been, since Nixon was paranoid and depending on the likes of Liddy to do his bidding, while Cardinal Law apparently felt himself quite safe (and his current sinecure, as noted in the film’s epilog, suggests he was correct). The degrees of corruption, frankly, are too similar, though that the Nixon case was the administration rather than an institution too influential on administrations is a bit of a greater threat, I’ll grant as well…but only a bit.
Todd, there was that ominous scene in the parking ramp where Redford’s life might have been at danger.
And, of course, I enjoy watching McAdams so much more than I enjoy watching even Redford. Sad that the new film reflects the reality of as late as 2001-3, the elite unit of the GLOBE might have only one woman reporter among several males centrally involved.
Todd, I know this sounds like a broken record, but I wish McAdams had been given more to do in SPOTLIGHT. Talented women actors aren’t getting roles that allow them to show their artistry!
Amusingly, John Slattery does look as if he could be Jason Robards’s son. Reading the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER’s file on testimony on abusive, even thuggish priests and other figures in the RCC was pretty memorable all those years ago…the one sociopath who felt so entitled that he came into the hospital room (at the Catholic hospital, of course) of the girl he’d been molesting, after she had been put in traction after some sort of serious accident, and calmly demonstrated that their semi-public surroundings and certainly her immobility were no deterrent to his molestation and promises of more to come once she was out and about, apparently with hospital staff fluttering around him and treating him as apparently literally untouchable as a priest (I hate to think how many bones of his I might’ve tried to break simultaneously if I’d been a witness to this).
The one priest who assured Rachel McAdams’s character that he took no orgasmic climax from his depredation, which made it OK, doncha know, was a nice echo of some of the statements I’ve heard and seen before…
Todd, there were a lot of lame “justifications” for what went on in Boston and elsewhere by the priests and lawyers.
This one is definitely on our list.
By the way, maybe when Patrick gets there he can tweak the blog as my information has disappeared again.
Jeff, Diane and I will be driving out to the Airport to pick Patrick up tonight. I’ll get him on the “missing data” problem as soon as I can. We have a “babysitter” nurse to watch Helen while we go to the Airport.
It’ll be a netflix for me. I remember Dennis Lehane talking about the abuse, saying the lonely, outcast kids were often targeted as others were usually with friends
Maggie, SPOTLIGHT shows that poor, lonely, outcast kids were the most preyed on.
I’m definitely interested in this movie.
That being said, there was more gossip in our parish about priests and the mothers – so much so that the grade-school children were even aware of it.
Beth, there are some startling statistics in SPOTLIGHT. The number of priests involved in the abuse was surprising. And, the fact that only 50% of priests are celibate came as a shock.
My info hasn’t stuck either. We need “Patrick to the rescue”.
Barbara wants to see this, but I don’t. It was/is a big story, and I like journalism stories if they’re not sensationalized, which I gather this isn’t, but it just isn’t a film I’m interested in seeing. This does make me want to see All the President’s Men again.
Rick, ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN is the best movie I’ve ever seen on journalism. SPOTLIGHT is in Second Place for me. I’ll get Patrick on the problem…after he wakes up tomorrow.
Sadly, the Bills didn’t look to good last night. 4 for 16 on 3rd down tries (or something like that) won’t get it, and not the QB is hurt. I’m not seeing the playoffs for either Bills or Seahawks this year.
Rick, the Bills season hangs on the outcome of Sunday’s Kansas City Chiefs game. If the Bills lose that game, the Playoffs become a very remote dream.
This story reminds me of the church’s scandals we’ve had in Europe – somewhere I read a bad joke:
What’s the difference between a progressive Catholic priest and a conservative priest?
The progressive priest has a girlfriend – and the conservative priest has his altar boys …
A bit OT:
Did you read the story about the German bishop who spent several million €s on his residence – including around 10 000€ for a designer bathtub, meant for two people? A really strange guy, he was removed from his job (well. officially he resigned …) by the pope.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz-Peter_Tebartz-van_Elst
PS:
my info was also lost – but it’s just two clicks to restore it, so no problem.
Wolf, several Catholic churches and schools have closed in the Buffalo area. I suspect this scandal has had a direct effect on membership. Yes, I read about the German bishop with expensive tastes. As Lord Acton said, “Power tends to corrupt, Absolute Power corrupts absolutely.”
I was forced to go to Catholic services when I was a kid and I always thought priests and nuns were creepy! It looks like I was on to something!
A bit OT:
I started to detest the Catholic Church when I found out that I was not allowed in the same school as my friends …
Had just turned six years old and was waiting for school to start when I was told I had to go to the Protestant school and the others went to the Catholic school in the town – the crazy thing about this:
We were in the same old school building – they had just put in a dividing wall …
Those were the times in Germany in the 40s and 50s and that was the end of religion for me!
Wolf, the fastest growing segment in the U.S. are people with no religious affiliation. The number of atheists is growing, too.
Bob, you were always perceptive!
George, thanks for writing about SPOTLIGHT. I don’t know when it’s due for release in India.
Prashant, you’ll really like SPOTLIGHT. You might see it on Blu-ray or DVD.
George – Thanks for this review. SPOTLIGHT is an important movie and well done. The cast is first rate. As for Live Schreiber – I think this guy is one of our best actors. A few months ago I saw him playing Russian chess master Boris Spassky in PAWN SACRIFICE in which he looked 10-feet tall and powerful. Last weekend at SPOTLIGHT, I had to look twice to recognize him as the smallish, soft spoken editor.
Elgin, Schreiber is a versatile actor. I think SPOTLIGHT is one of the best movies of the year.
No new post today… is the site Under Construction, or are you too busy with the Thanksgiving preparations?
Richard, George promised us some spectacular picture – who knows what’s holding him up …
Wolf, I’m sure you’ll like the photo tomorrow for Thanksgiving!
Rick, I just picked up the fresh turkey (16 pounds!) at our favorite meat market. I’ll get something up soon. When I woke up this morning, I corrected a set of research papers. One down, three to go!