Spotlight is a flat-out important film, showing the benefits of investigative journalism in presenting the efforts of the Boston Globe's Spotlight team. In 2001, they began an investigation managed to blow the lid off of the cover-up of pedophile priests within the Catholic Church. Films that follow the efforts of journalists to uncover stories are inherently enjoyable, playing into audience interest in mysteries and playing out like a detective story; films like Spotlight, All the President's Men and State of Play are absorbing because the stakes are as high as if a police detective was investigating rather than journalists. Spotlight takes the lead for the best pick out of these films because for all the technical and artistic bleakness of The Revenant and the heart and wonder of Room, they lack the moral intensity so well-portrayed within this film. Every single performance is firing on all cylinders - perhaps with the exclusion of Rachel McAdams, whose character doesn't have the most to do apart from feel bad for the victims she interviews. But hey, she was still nominated for a Supporting Actress award, so there you go. The real telling fact about the pedigree of Spotlight is the smaller performances; the moments where bit-part actors like Neal Huff and Michael Cyril Creighton put 110% into their roles as the unfortunate victims of sexual abuse. It's a testament to their skill, the strength of the script and Tom McCarthy's direction that the characters are believable representations of real-life victims, given the respectful spotlight that they deserve. How would you rank these films? Share your reactions below in the comments thread.
Cinephile since 1993, aged 4, when he saw his very first film in the cinema - Jurassic Park - which is also evidence of damn fine parenting. World champion at Six Degrees of Separation. Lender of DVDs to cheap mates. Connoisseur of Marvel Comics and its Cinematic Universe.
