Spotlight by Tom McCarthy, 2015 (R)

with Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci, Brian d'Arcy James, Billy Crudup

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.

The movie is unpretentious, and takes us through the investigation process without taking us for stupid nor embellishing the story with climax and stylized cinematography. Its characters are real people, not heroes, the bad guys are not one-sided a-holes, or demons... It is a very particular theme as it unveils one of the toughest battle against the Catholic church and its almost absolute immunity. The historical context is also quite fascinating as it comes at a time where the main focus of the news is the attack on World Trade Center. Still, the impact the story had and the continuing research to convict those men who abused over the years children under the protection of the church is a definite must tell. Performance are impeccable, script is solid, definitely a contender for the Oscars.