MASSACHUSETTS
Boston Herald
Jack Encarnacao Tuesday, March 15, 2016
The studio behind the Oscar winning film “Spotlight” acknowledged in a statement today that it fictionalized dialogue attributed to Boston College spokesman Jack Dunn as part of an agreement to fend off legal action.
“As is the case with most movies based on historical events, ‘Spotlight’ contains fictionalized dialogue that was attributed to Mr. Dunn for dramatic effect,” read this afternoon’s statement from Open Road Films. “We acknowledge that Mr. Dunn was not part of the Archdiocesan cover-up. It is clear from his efforts on behalf of the victims at BC High that he and the filmmakers share a deep, mutual concern for victims of abuse.”
The film about The Boston Globe’s investigation of clergy sex abuse featured a scene in which Dunn’s character attempted to downplay the extent of abuse in a meeting with a Globe reporter Walter “Robbie” Robinson, played by Michael Keaton.
Dunn’s character, who is portrayed in his capacity as a trustee at Boston College High School, tells Keaton “it’s a big school” and adds “we’re talking about seven alleged victims over, what, eight years?”
Dunn said he was sickened by the portrayal and that script writers had assigned his character the damning dialogue after it was originally to be said by a completely fictionalized character.
Dunn’s lawyer, David Rich, told the Herald today the statement is “part of a broader resolution of Mr. Dunn’s dispute with the makers of Spotlight.”
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