The Cast
Spotlight had an
ensemble cast, featuring Michael
Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark
Ruffalo, Stanley Tucci, John
Slattery and Liev Schreiber. The
extent to which the cast emulated
the actual people that their
characters were based on, is
astonishing. Rachel McAdams’
mannerisms, including the way
she talked, was so much like
Sacha Pfeiffer, which was evident
in the interviews featuring
both of them, which gave her a
well earned Academy Award
nomination. The same applies
to Mark Ruffalo, who portrayed
Mike Rezendes, who was also
nominated. The detailing the
cast gave to the accents and the
mannerisms is to be appreciated,
including their display of
emotional connect to Boston, the
city that the film is set in.
The Screenplay
No flashy
camera pans, no pans and
zooms, no expensive graphics,
no explosions and action,
whatsoever. Yet, Spotlight had
me anxiously expecting the next
turn and conflict. It had me at
the edge of my seat with utmost
involvement, captivating me
and other audience alike, solely
relying on the story. The tone of
the film is understandable, the
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audience can connect to the pain
that the characters go through,
and can deeply understand the
conflicts that are put across to
them.
The Direction
The issue that
the film deals with is sensitive.
Yet, the director presents it with
impeccable precision with no
misappropriation whatsoever.
The film makes you question your
beliefs, angers you, and if you’re
sensitive, might even bring you
to tears. Tom McCarthy has done
a great job at setting the scene
and letting the film take its course.
Hats off.
The Location and Sets
Out of all the films I’ve
watched featuring Boston, I
thought only ‘The Departed’
came close to representing
Boston for what it actually
is, playing with realism. That
changed when I watched
Spotlight. The newspaper office
set up is very convincing, with
the director choosing a simple
palette to represent the tone. It is
like any other workplace that you
will come across. The locations
featured in the film are limited,
mostly featuring the streets and
a few iconic landmarks in Boston,
but the presentation deserves an
applause.