10 Best Mark Ruffalo Performances

Spotlight won the Best Picture Oscar at the 2016 Academy Awards, and though he got a nomination for his turn as moral real-life journalist Michael Rezendes, he also should have taken the statue home.

Spotlight tells the story of the Boston Globe's investigation into cases of widespread, undetected and systematic sexual abuse carried out by the Catholic Church. As you can guess, the film is not a necessarily easy watch, but between Ruffalo's passionate and scene-stealing performance and the back-up given by supporting stars Rachel McAdams, Michael Keaton and John Slattery, it is a thrilling drama well deserving of its praise.

The film is an ensemble effort, but as with the majority of ensemble-led films, there is a standout, and that is unquestionably Ruffalo. Rezendes is intelligent, morally sound, enraged by the case and passionate about his work. He's hardworking, self-critical, and increasingly disillusioned. As the film progresses, he grows more and more frustrated by the case, and Rufallo sells every heart-pounding monologue, every moment of horror and every sequence of hope with startling results.