Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Spotlight’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

The quest for the truth in motion pictures, is often something that is portrayed as quite the noble cause, and with good reason. For when a character or characters set out to uncover said truth, they’re usually doing it to improve lives, right a wrong and inspire us to do the same when we know that there is something unjust that needs to be revealed to the world. If anything, this quest in cinema always makes for a compelling and powerful ride, but it’s best we be honest with ourselves after watching these kinds of films and remember…that the quest for the truth is a messy and terrifying process in real life.
 
Because if someone has gone to great lengths to cover something up, there’s a reason they want to keep that truth hidden from the world, since the harsh reality of said lie can cause all kinds of problems when the facts are revealed to the masses, which means they will fight hard to keep the truth buried. Which is why when someone finally decides to dig in and unravel the lie in question, they have quite the hard road ahead, one that usually features all kinds of roadblocks and difficult decisions. But while Hollywood often glamorizes this rough process, once in a while, movies find their way onto the market that properly chronicle the long and difficult road to the truth and one that recently moved me, was 2015’s Spotlight.
 
Now for those unfamiliar with this particular motion picture, it is set in 2001 and follows a group of special investigative reporters for the Boston Globe who work in a department that shares the movie’s namesake. And shortly after their new editor arrives on the job, they are asked to investigate some strange allegations regarding a Catholic Priest who allegedly abused children without an ounce of consequence and it doesn’t take long for this investigation to reveal something horrifying, in that…there has been a massive cover up of years of systemic abuse from multiple pastors, and that said cover up came at the direction of Boston’s top Cardinal. Which means it will be up to the Spotlight team to provide a careful and detailed story that properly exposes this lie to the world, in order to give the many victims involved, some sense of justice…

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So, if any part of that plot summary seems familiar in the slightest, that would be due to the fact that this movie is based on true events since the Spotlight team did break this story back in 2002 and well, learning how they pulled off a feat as big as this in a predominantly Catholic town is one of the many elements that makes this film so compelling. Because the team did indeed run into a lot of roadblocks in getting this story out to the public and while that quest for knowledge should be enough to make this film worth watching, what truly drew me in when it comes to this story, is the fact that it holds nothing back when it comes to what the team discovers in regard to the many years of abuse that people endured from pastors they trusted.
 
Because you’re privy to some ugly details in this film, and you’re also witness to the anger that comes from years of inaction and that immediately invests you in Spotlight’s work, and you quickly come to realize that they may be the only hope when it comes to exposing this nightmare and while I fully understand it’s a movie and fictionalized, knowing that this team had to hear similar stories time and time again, and experience the anguish of the abused to write this story…definitely gives you pause. As does how the ‘villains’ of the story handle Spotlight’s search for the truth since the Church is portrayed as indifferent on the matter, as if this is all no big deal and something that should be ignored and well, it is moments like that, which make this film infuriating in the right kind of way, because you too want justice for the innocent.
 
Yet what is truly impressive about this film, is that it is loaded to the brim with big time, A-list stars, whose performances never once rise above the story that’s being told. In fact, their amazing portrayal of the Boston Globe’s crack team of investigative reporters are humble and grounded in nature, and of course, so good, that at times it feels as though you’re right there with the team. If anything, this is a movie that I feel guilty for missing in theaters. Because it’s powerful, it’s poignant and an important chapter in American history since it chronicles the exposure of an incredible lie, one that went far beyond the borders of Boston and if you didn’t catch it theaters either, catch it now, because it really is worth your time.

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