Sunday, January 14, 2018

SPOTLIGHT


(November 2015, U.S.)

Despite the events of the film SPOTLIGHT having taken place only seventeen years ago, it practically feels ancient because one can't help but wonder what's happened to the hardcore investigative journalism of the press today. It almost seems as if the the pursuit of getting the story and discovering the truth on behalf of the American people is nearly dead because of everything that social media and smart phones are able to capture on their own. I mean, why waste time trying to discover what our own (bullshit) president has done or said when he's already proudly displaying it on his own Twitter account? Why dig around for the truth and its consequences when there don't seem to be any consequences any more? Gone, it seems, are the days of Watergate or the Iran-Contra Affair when we were still shocked and horrified to learn what our so-called "trusted" government was really up to behind the shadows and closed doors. Today, we find things out relatively quickly as soon as CNN reports it to us and we allow it to just pass through time until the next big "shocker" comes along.

Tom McCarthy's film takes place in 2001 during the months before 9/11. Again, it's not too long ago, but it's before social media and iPhones were running our lives and there's still something to be said for the Boston Globe's "Spotlight" team and their investigation into cases of widespread child sex abuse by numerous Roman Catholic priests throughout Massachusetts. Even in what's considered our modern day and age, Boston is a tightly-wound city in which Catholic faith and the desire to protect and cover-up sex crimes committed by the Boston Archdiocese are common ground. As the reputable newspaper digs, discovers and reveals, they're lined up against lawyers, politicians and the entire church body that will stand against them to protect what they consider to be an invaluable religious faith and the comfort it brings to their lives. In this world of sweeping the truth under the rug, no one in Boston wants to hear about crimes committed against innocent children by those in the church they've come to depend on. The film effectively explores the daily process of a team (comprising of talented folks like Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams) that have committed themselves to uncovering the truth (surely echoing the spirit and thrills of ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN) in the name of the innocent who have forever been damaged (even as adults) by those they thought they could believe in. Even when the Spotlight team is forced to de-prioritize their big story after the September 11th attacks occur, the film doesn't waste too much time deterring itself away from our main focus. Momentum is quickly regained and new truths are revealed when hardcore documents are finally made available to the public that confirm the Cardinal's knowledge of all criminal incidents within the church and his apparent decisions to ignore it. By early 2002, the story has gone to print, these twisted pedophiles priests have been exposed and the Spotlight team find themselves inundated with phone calls from more victims who have finally gained the courage to come forward and tell their stories.

Like many others, I became aware of the epidemic cases of pedophile priests throughout this country (and the world) shortly after 9/11, re-confirming that our new century was off to a very bad start. Like others, I'm sure, I had no idea that the problem stretched as far back in time as it did. SPOTLIGHT successfully brings the story into the light through its lurid and intricate detailing of the facts behind the story while providing just the right amount of drama behind its main characters within the newspaper, as well as its victims who must suffer through the pain of telling their stories. It reminds me of a time not too long ago when the power of the press still (seemingly) produced results and inevitably consequences for those who betrayed the law and our public trust. Today, we have sadly allowed ourselves to erode into a society where we not only know about the problem, but will (again, seemingly) do nothing about it. Why else would a piece of garbage like Donald Trump still be sitting in the White House? Where, oh where, are Woodward, Bernstein and "Deep Throat" when we really need them??

As a Jewish person, I also can't help but wonder why we've never really heard of pedophile Rabbis (at least, I haven't). Perhaps it's because they're not forced into a life of celibacy in the first place that may eventually turn their minds into a more dangerous and damaging direction? Just a thought.

SPOTLIGHT won the Oscar for Best Picture of 2015.

Favorite line or dialogue:

Walter Robinson: "We've got two stories here. We've got a story about degenerate clergy, and we've got a story about a bunch of lawyers turning child abuse into a cottage industry. Now, which story do you want us to write? Because we're writing one of them!"





















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