As some of you may already know, biographical pictures are, without a doubt, my favourite genre. They offer insight into people, places and events that we often take for granted, know little about or have forgotten almost completely. And you would think that with all of our technological, philosophical and societal advancements over the millennia we would have evolved to be better people, a better species, but you only have to put on the news to see that that is not the case. And one of the biggest scandals to come out in the 21st Century is the expose of child abuse within the Catholic church.

Since its inception in the 1970’s, the Boston Globe’s ‘Spotlight’ team have been working almost autonomously from the rest of the newspaper, picking and choosing their own projects, some stories taking months or even years to come to fruition. When new editor-in-chief Marty Baron (Liev Schreiber) comes to the Globe from Florida he breaks typical protocol and requests that the Spotlight team dig a little deeper on recently reported story regarding allegations of a Boston priest sexually abusing a minor and a subsequent cover up by the head of the Boston Archdiocese, Cardinal Bernard Law.

Spotlight editor Walter ‘Robby’ Robinson (Michael Keaton) and his team of dedicated and tenacious investigative reporters; Mike Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo), Sacha Pfeiffer (Rachel McAdams) and Matt Carroll (Brian d’Arcy James) get to work, never suspecting just how far up the Catholic ladder this went and how big this story was going to get.

With this type of subject matter it would be easy to fixate on the victims themselves or vilify the abusers but instead the narrative takes on a more professional tone and offers a somewhat intrinsic look at the journalistic process itself. This focus on the journey of the investigation offers such an interesting and thoughtful viewing experience that no matter how many times I watch this film, it always feels like a first time viewing. And, for me, it’s that distance from the overall story that makes the end result so powerful, punctuated by a seemingly never-ending list of locations where child abuse within the Catholic Church has been confirmed.

The film is perfectly shot and brilliantly paced but it is the class of the casting and acting that sets this film above most others. It benefits from the lack of lead performance, this is a true ensemble cast and character brings a different emotion to the story.

Michael Keaton delivers a strong and assured performance as ‘team captain’ Robby Robinson, representing guilt and regret, he uses those feelings as his driving force to breakthrough the system of denial and collusion that is so prevalent in those factions of society that should protect the innocent. As Sacha Pfeiffer, the only female on the team, McAdams’ strong yet feminine presence brings the human element to the story. She is the key to unlocking the stories of the victims and represents the sorrow of the situation, not just a sadness for the lost innocence of the victims but also a mourning for what the wider community will lose when the story breaks; a loss of faith in their community and their church.

Ruffalo’s frantic energy helps to bring a real sense of urgency and anger to the piece in what is, by far, my favourite performance of his. He is angry at the abusers, angry at the system and angry at those who let it happen. Piercing through that anger is also a real feeling of luck; an understanding that these heinous acts could quite easily have happened to him. D’Arcy’s portrayal Matt Carroll is probably the most understated of all the performances but is no less powerful. To me, he represents the future, the protection of those who need it most and the fear that comes with being a parent in the world that the story will create.

If these fantastic performances were not enough, the main supporting roles help to elevate this film into something truly special. As the outsider that sets this whole process in motion, Liev Schreiber delivers a strong and conservative performance that is understated compared to those around him yet no less impactful. Last but not least, we have the often under appreciated yet always brilliant Stanley Tucci as the frazzled and fabulous lawyer who, up until Spotlight’s involvement, was alone in his fight against the Church; David versus Goliath.

Overall, Spotlight is a captivating drama that is well deserving of it Best Picture win and is an absolute must watch for any, and every, movie goer.

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