UNITED STATES
Medill Reports Chicago

By Emma Sandler

The new movie “Spotlight” focuses on an investigative unit of the same name at The Boston Globe that uncovered in 2001 and 2002 the systemic Catholic priest abuse scandal. It involved about 70 local priests and more than 1,000 victims.

The reporting garnered the paper a Pulitzer Prize. The investigative team comes to life with an all-star cast of Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Liev Schreiber, Stanley Tucci, John Slattery and Brian d’Arcy James. No one takes the lead or chews the scenery in this movie, which perfectly mirrors the collaborative efforts of the investigative team. It’s an ensemble piece in its finest form.

There is no glorifying or vilifying of journalists as vigilantes or upstarts in the movie. There are no romantic entanglements and few scenes look into the personal toll that these journalists endure throughout their investigation. It…