Spotlight was released in 2015 and became a huge success, winning over critics and audiences alike. At the Academy Awards, the film went on to win Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, out of six total nominations, including Best Director for Todd McCarthy and Best Supporting Actor/Actress for Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams, respectively. Spotlight was co-written by McCarthy and Josh Singer, and tackles the subect of the Boston Globe investigative reporting ream that exposed the widespread sexual abuse of children by Roman Catholic priests.
The film is based on the real-life investigation of Boston journalists, which took place over a number of years. Documents were released over several years, which exposed the sinister behavior of the priests in the Archdiocese of Boston and, what’s more, the active covering-up that the institution took part in so that its clergy were protected. Here is a look into the true story behind Spotlight’s Boston scandal.
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What Happens in Spotlight?
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Spotlight focuses on Mary Baron of The Boston Globe, who assigns a team of journalists to investigate allegations against John Geoghan, a priest who has been accused of molesting more than 80 boys. The investigation is led by Michael (Ruffalo), who gained information by interviewing victims and unsealing documents. The team makes it their mission to uncover the abuse that countless children faced within the Roman Catholic Church.
The film was a huge success and featured performances from Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, John Slattery, and Stanley Tucci, with Brian d’Arcy James, Liev Schreiber, and Billy Crudup in supporting roles. The film won big at the Academy Awards and brought a new wave of attention to the subject matter that was based on a real-life case.
The Boston Scandal
The story is loosely based on the real Catholic Archdiocese of Boston abuse scandal that received widespread attention in 2002, when The Boston Globe published the results of an investigation that led to the criminal prosecutions of five Roman Catholic priests for the sexual abuse of minors. The case encouraged many victims to come forward, and numerous lawsuits followed to uncover the concealed abuse.
The Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) published a 22-page case study in 2009 about the journalism involved in this series, which inspired the creation of Spotlight. One of the most aggravating aspects of the case was the attempts made by the Roman Catholic Church to conceal these incidents. The investigation revealed that the church had covered up as many as 250 cases of sexual abuse, and investigators stated that it was the rage and unjust nature of this that spurred on the investigations. The case inspired accountability from the church and encouraged individuals globally to come forward.
How True is Spotlight?
Certain things depicted in Spotlight differed from what happened in real life. In the film, for example, Pfieffer interviews an ex-priest Ronald H. Paquin, who openly admits to having molested young boys, noting how he “received no gratification” from this. In reality, the confession was not blurted out so quickly, and took place over a series of interviews that happened over several months and featured the input of some other reporters.
The film was ultimately criticized by the Church, with some figures stating that it misrepresented how the church responded to the allegations, claiming they altered this for dramatic effect. Jack Dunn, the Director of Public Affairs at Boston College High school ended up accusing McCarthy of defamation due to how he was portrayed in the film, Regardless, Spotlight did a lot to increase awareness of the horrific scandal.
