Spotlight

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2:31

Spotlight

R

2015

2h 9m

Drama

Crime

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

97%

Tomatometer

379 Reviews

93%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

In 2001, editor Marty Baron of The Boston Globe assigns a team of journalists to investigate allegations against John Geoghan, an unfrocked priest accused of molesting more than 80 boys. Led by editor Walter "Robby" Robinson (Michael Keaton), reporters Michael Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo), Matt Carroll and Sacha Pfeiffer interview victims and try to unseal sensitive documents. The reporters make it their mission to provide proof of a cover-up of sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church.

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Critics Consensus

Spotlight gracefully handles the lurid details of its fact-based story while resisting the temptation to lionize its heroes, resulting in a drama that honors the audience as well as its real-life subjects.

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Zach Schonfeld

Newsweek

Feb 28, 2018

Spotlight manages the seemingly impossible task of wooing journalists with authenticity while still elevating reporters to hero status, as they battle a formidable and corrupt institution with righteous determination.

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Michael Phillips

Chicago Tribune

Feb 26, 2017

4/4

Ruffalo gets top billing in the movie, and he brings some wonderfully lived-in behavioral details to his performance -- the quick, terrier-like movements of the head and the bitten-off sentences.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

Aug 22, 2016

4/4

Spotlight giving center stage to unsung warriors for truth who understood telling the story right, without embellishment, without melodramatic editorial excess, was the greatest victory of them all.

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Jul 31, 2025

5/5

This ensemble is flawless at every level. Not a single performance is preening or misaligned with the central cause to respect the stern roots of the actual history.

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Pradeep Menon

Firstpost

Nov 1, 2023

Spotlight is a must-watch for people in the media, as well as people who consume the media, because it reaffirms a belief in the ideals of journalism.

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Mark Johnson

Awards Daily

Jun 14, 2023

It’s not just that it is a profound story, but one that is executed to perfection that draws out such emotion.

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Eric G

Mar 19, 2026

A snapshot in time... journalism in the dawn of the internet age... but two years before Facebook was invented, which unfortunately too many people use as a news tool. This talks about the moment that there was finally a major recognition of the longstanding abuses of the Catholic Church but on a systemic level. Many parallels can be drawn to the Epstein sexual exploitation today and the continuous cover up of its abusers by the system itself. The movie was riveting and this particular screening featured a live Q&A session with Globe Reporter Walter Robinson. It was really cool to be able to ask questions about the events depicted.

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Steven M.

Nov 15, 2021

Well-written and acted film! Michael Keaton and Rachel McAdams, especially, live up to expectations.

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Sunil M

@KaalKranti Aug 13, 2026

A must-watch Docu-Legal Drama, True Crime, Workplace film.

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Renaldo D

@RT30888824 Jul 27, 2026

An almost perfect script for this movie, and great performances.

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Jack S

@thejackedmovie Jul 20, 2026

Insane to know it’s a true story. A great look into journalism and all that comes with it. The pace of it starts slow but will pick up about halfway through. Good watch.

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Juris O

@Juris100 Jul 14, 2026

Not a bad movie. But you have to watch it very carefully.

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Tom McCarthy

Director

Mark Ruffalo

Michael Rezendes

Michael Keaton

Walter "Robby" Robinson

Rachel McAdams

Sacha Pfeiffer

Liev Schreiber

Marty Baron

John Slattery

Ben Bradlee Jr.

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Synopsis

In 2001, editor Marty Baron of The Boston Globe assigns a team of journalists to investigate allegations against John Geoghan, an unfrocked priest accused of molesting more than 80 boys. Led by editor Walter "Robby" Robinson (Michael Keaton), reporters Michael Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo), Matt Carroll and Sacha Pfeiffer interview victims and try to unseal sensitive documents. The reporters make it their mission to provide proof of a cover-up of sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church.

Director: Tom McCarthy
Producer: Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, Blye Pagon Faust
Screenwriter: Josh Singer, Tom McCarthy
Distributor: Open Road
Production Co: Anonymous Content, Rocklin/Faust
Rating: R (Some Language|Sexual References)
Genre: Drama, Crime, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 20, 2015, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 2, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $45.0M
Runtime: 2h 9m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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