If you have lived in Milwaukee over the past 20 years, you most likely remember the uncovering of the sex abuse controversy and scandal within the Milwaukee Catholic Archdiocese. Milwaukee is unfortunately just one of many cities in the United States where widespread abuse, and the cover ups, have been discovered.
It’s the work of a Boston Globe investigative team uncovering the city's widespread sexual abuse within the Catholic Church that is dramatized in a new film. “Spotlight” looks at the work of a team of four journalists who brought the scandal in the Boston Archdiocese to light.
The film has already garnered critical acclaim with performances by a group of prominent Hollywood actors such as Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Michael Keaton, and Stanley Tucci all playing essential roles in the unfolding year long investigation into the allegations of abuse within the Catholic Church.
Film contributor Dave Luhrssen thinks that while this movie has been nominated for several Golden Glboes already, the voters would have great difficulty picking a lead actor.
"It's an ensemble performance, which I think is great. There's no one person in my mind that dominated the film," says Luhrssen.
The film's success has also proven to the film industry that audiences still watch and respond well to serious dramas. Luhrseen also believes that the topic of sexual abuse by priests connects to a wide range of audiences because it is not a problem that is unique to Boston.
"It’s not a Boston story. It’s not a story that’s confined to a narrow group of people and it’s not obscure. It’s a topic and issue that we’ve all heard about," he says.
Dave Luhrssenis arts and entertainment editor at the Shepherd Express weekly newspaper, author of its “I Hate Hollywood” blog, and our regular film contributor.
