Spotlight

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2:31

Spotlight

R

2015

2h 9m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

97%

Tomatometer

378 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

02/28/2018

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

02/26/2017

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

08/22/2016

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

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

11/01/2023

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

06/14/2023

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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Steven M.

11/15/2021

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

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Sum W

3d

Really good, but disturbing...

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Thyaagu C

@Thyaagu Jan 30

Absolute Knockout. A masterful punch that hits hard and leaves you reeling!

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Javier T.

@jtejedorsojo Dec 21

Excellent story and writing. Superb acting. Have watched it 4 times already.

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Gregory S

@Gregory566 Dec 3

It is not very often that I a can say this, and not truly question it. This is one of the most important movies that has ever been made.

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DAVID W

Nov 14

It was very well done - the script and acting and photography - and the story of the abuse and cover up by the Church was clearly depicted. The story caught my interest and it felt if I was being given insights how investigative journalism worked. So I admired it, but it didn't stir my emotions and was, perhaps, a bit too long.

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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
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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