Spotlight (2015)

[stripe]

As a Catholic journalist, a necessary movie from a necessary investigation. Really solid with strong and subtle performances, but I got the feeling it never reaches the emotional impact and heaviness the articles and the story had.

 

In fact, for me the biggest emotional impact came from a glimpse image: Ruffalo's character briefly sees two young kids in Tucci's office...

 

A-

[Ash Skywalker]

Impressed with the movie. The whole cast's performance is brilliant. It reached the depth which is necessary for a concept like this,no unnecessary scenes which would deviate from the emotional path which this has been showing almost throughout the film. Mark's tough, confident and carried the act well. Liked it.

It's 'A' from me.

Spotlight or The big short, BP in Oscars for me. (Haven't watched The Revenant & Mad max has less chances)

 

[Vanilla]

Loved this, everyone was great especially Mark.

 

9.5/10

[MovieGuyKyle17]

Spotlight: Going into this movie, I was just coming off of seeing The Big Short, so I was already pretty mad. When I realized that the 2nd film in my double feature was about investigating a massive cover up of child molestation by the catholic church, I knew I was in for just miserable day at the movies. Seeing the massive cover up, and how not only what the priest do to the kids, what the catholic church does to cover everything up, and hearing from the victims, this movie not only makes you feel disgusted but it leaves you pissed off at the world. Even after all that, this film is my favorite film of 2015. This is the best journalism film I have ever seen. To see how these reporters not only go through the records, conduct the interviews, and do the research is extremely entertaining. All the actors work fantastically off each other, their performances work here because none of the actors go over the top. All of them seem like real people. The writing and directing from Tom McCarthy is great, I got no problems with this movie. This film grabs your full attention from beginning to the end.

Grade: A+

[Michael Gary Scott]

It's a fine film with good performances and it's an important movie but the movie itself while being good didn't blow me away. 

4/5

[Goffe]

Not usually a fan of this kind of movie, but there was so much talent involved giving their best that I think it was impossible for me to dislike it. I was glued from the first frame to the last. 

 

I loved how unmelodramatic the movie was, take that scene where Walter is interviewing a victim in the bar, McCarthy doesn't show us the guy crying and stuff, instead he prefers to have Walter telling some other guys what happened, which made everything a lot more powerful to me. Got some serious goosebumps in that scene.

 

85/100

 

I also enjoyed Win Win, so I will probably watch the rest McCarthy's filmography.

[Goffe]

Ruffalo's breakdown was definitely the worst moment of the film, it actually made me doubt whether he was giving a good performance or not.

[Kraken]

As someone that was raised Catholic but is very very lapsed this was tough to watch. Ruffalo's outburst really hit a nerve. Great acting all around and a film that keeps you glued to the screen. If this walks away with the BP Oscar I'd be very pleased. 

[Jake Gittes]

Ruffalo's LOOK AT ME ACH-TING routine was distracting in damn near every scene he was in, and the fact that he got Oscar recognition while Liev Schreiber's phenomenally understated work got ignored is dispiriting even if it's one of the least surprising things in Oscar history. Otherwise, rock-solid. 

[movieboner]

This is a great film, but it's nothing special. The acting and writing are top notch, but I've seen better in TV shows like True Detective season 1 and Breaking Bad. There is no good camera work, production design or anything that makes it stand out. Overall, it's a small film that feels like a TV show with great writing/acting.  B+

[Dan9]

Finally saw this and despite feeling deathly ill, I was entranced. There aren't many movies I recommend to others as 'must-see's' regardless of who they are, but this is definitely one of them. The storytelling is so crystal clear that everyone can understand it, and the performances are so convincing that there were times I felt pinned to my seat by the sheer weight of the subject matter.

 

A+ 

 

A shame The Revenant has so much going for it awards-wise as I feel like this or Room are the most deserving of Best Picture.*

 

*Apart from Inside Out but that's another issue entirely...

Edited February 17, 2016 by Dan9

[Joel M]

I watched this and fellow BP nominee Room a couple of days apart and it really hit me how much both of them hang on to their powerful story. Not the script per-se, just the story alone. If I was just reading about it, I would be just as horrified. But it's a good movie with a really great cast. I liked how calm and reserved the whole thing was, even the Ruffallo BIG moment which is pretty much the only one in the entire movie works because everything is methodically building up to this. His character turns audience surrogate for a few seconds so we can all scream HOW THE FUCK THEY ALLOWED THIS TO HAPPEN? 

 

The movie ended a couple of hours ago but I'm still furious

 

B+.

Edited February 27, 2016 by Joel M

[TheMovieman]

Watched this the other day and found it compelling. It's a methodical movie taking the viewers through the steps of investigative journalism and the choices made to give the story more meat. The acting was fairly strong though I do agree with others, Ruffalo was a bit much but everyone else was great.

 

****/*****, (B+/A-, 8.2/10, 3.25/4)

[WrathOfHan]

Solid movie. The cast works great off each other and the story is engaging. There is some fat that could have been trimmed (mostly stuff with Liev Schreiber), otherwise the movie's pacing is tight and quick. I don't think it should win Best Picture but if it won I wouldn't complain. 8/10|B

[Jake Gittes]

On 17.02.2016 at 3:49 AM, movieboner said:

There is no good camera work, production design 

 

Both of those are excellent, they just don't bring unneeded attention to themselves. (Cinematography comes close though, see all the shots with the church in the background or the ridiculously unsubtle wide shot with the AOL sign).

[AniNate]

I think this ties with Room for the best final shot of the year

[Avatree]

The one member who voted F in this poll is probably a catholic priest.

[TheMovieman]

18 hours ago, Total Treecall said:

The one member who voted F in this poll is probably a catholic priest.

 

I would like to hear (well, read) from that person at least to get their viewpoint but I suspect they're just being a troll.

[Midz13]

Congrats to the entire team. So well deserved Oscar win. Good that more people will be watching this film. 

[a2k]

B+ (8/10)

 

I loved that they made a movie inspired by true events on such a tremendous victory of truth over wrongs and cover-ups by some very powerful people. Outside of soldiers, cops, firefighters where loss of life is high, journalism has become one of the riskiest professions. Dictators and even pseudo-democracies are constantly attacking journalists and cartoonists. Social media and media monopolies have given birth to jokers masquerading as journalists.

 

Maybe Spotlight is too aware of it's importance in these times.

 

The movie had great ensemble acting. I felt that the pacing was off at times. It not deliver the knock out punch - maybe it never promised to. IMO the best movie inspired by true events where the common man takes on the big guys is The Insider (A+ 10/10). Erin Brockovich (A- 9/10) is very good too. I wish Spotlight was a more passionate product and had taken some creative risks in how to tell the story.

 

How much fire and courage it must have taken for the real journalists to carry out this operation? Spotlight shows it do a sufficient degree but not to the full extent. The conflicts and introspection that some characters go through convey only to some measure what conflicts and mental struggle the real journalists must have had.

 

I found it to be a very good movie and considering it's subject and the times we live in, a must watch. I hope that every school shows this movie.

Edited February 29, 2016 by a2knet