Spotlight (15)

FILMS based on true stories come in two kinds.

There are those where artistic licence needs to be taken with the facts and certain details need to be embellished.

But there are others where the real events are so shocking that they speak for themselves.

Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy's Spotlight certainly falls into the latter category.

The immaculately constructed film tells the story of how investigative journalists at the Boston Globe newspaper uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and the cover-up within the city's Catholic Archdiocese.

It was the exposé that also led to revelations of child abuse by Catholic priests around the world, including the UK.

This is the story of how it happened from the reporters initially thinking they are facing insurmountable odds to their breakthroughs after months and months of hard work and countless stumbling blocks.

Spotlight is intriguing and exciting as it is infuriating and heartbreaking. There are powerful scenes with actors playing the victims who are still bearing the scars – some physical, some mental – of their abuse.

The film goes under their skin, going some way to explain why they felt trapped by these 'god-like' figures due to guilt and shame, a burden they should never have carried. Many committed suicide.

Spotlight also harks back to the dense story-led films of the 1970s which really packed a punch.

This is particularly true of All the President's Men where Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman played journalists uncovering the Watergate scandal. The two films – although 40 years apart – feel like companion pieces.

And although Spotlight is basically a series of conversations, phone calls, meetings, interviews and people looking at – or for – documents it manages to completely draw you in.

In a world where comic book films rule the multiplex it is really refreshing and this old school film leaves no room for ego and that is reflected in Spotlight's great performances.

Liev Schreiber stands out as the quietly confident new editor Marty Baron as does Mark Ruffalo as tenacious reporter Mike Rezendes.

Stanley Tucci also deserves a mention as attorney Mitchell Garabedian, whose lack of social skills is more than made up for by his moral conviction.

A powerful reminder of the importance of investigative journalism in a world of quick fix internet articles.

RATING: 8.5/10

DAVID MORGAN