Oscars: Every Best Picture Nominee Of The 2010s - Ranked Worst To Best
9. Spotlight
Not all heroes wear capes. Some sit in dingy rooms, shirts creased, ties askew. Spotlight isn’t a superhero movie, but it does involve a team of talented, brave, and moral people coming together to take down an almighty villain; in this case, the Catholic Church.
Spotlight’s highly-sensitive subject matter - an investigation into the years of abuse carried about by Catholic priests in Boston - could’ve easily weighed it down, but this film handles it deftly.
Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, and Rachel McAdams - none of them strangers to superhero movies, as it happens - lead a strong cast, but there’s nothing showy in their performances. Save for one big speech for Ruffalo, each actor remains as a steady presence throughout the film, letting their characters unfold naturally.
The same goes for Tom McCarthy’s direction, which shows commendable (and all-too-rare) restraint. There’s nothing overtly stylish here; instead he lets the dialogue speak for itself, and it’s impossible not to listen. Despite this being a ‘talky’ film with an Important subject, it zips along, carrying viewers as the scandal unfolds, and the true scale of it is revealed. The title cards at the end only serve to heighten this, and truly convey the shocking events that took place. By that time, however, you’re already outraged.
Cinema should make you feel something, and Spotlight does that in spades. A surprising Best Picture winner? Sure. A deserving one? Totally.
JH