Spotlight is a film based on how the investigative journalistic team of The Boston Globe, known as the Spotlight team, helped to expose the epidemic of Catholic Church child molestation scandals of the early 2000s. The team is assembled of three investigative journalists: Mike Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo, The Avengers, Foxcatcher), Sacha Pfeiffer (Rachel McAdams, Mean Girls, Sherlock Holmes) and Matt Carroll (Brian D’Arcy James) and is led by Walter “Robby” Robinson (Michael Keaton, Birdman, Batman). The film starts with the team looking for a new story to uncover when they are encouraged by new Boston Globe editor Marty Baron (Liev Schreiber, X-Men Origins, “Ray Donovan”) to pursue the alleged church scandal. Throughout the course of the investigation they encounter a myriad of dead-ends, aggravations and legal legerdemain.

The film has many strong areas, the most notable of which is the cast. Keaton delivers a performance of the stressed-out journalist in a believable and accurate manner. His heart, brain and soul all work simultaneously to create a man of fact, truth and conviction. Not for one second do viewers doubt they are watching a tenacious man who will fight for the truth no matter what. Ruffalo delivers a similar performance, perhaps with a more-than-subtle touch of gloomy past—which isn’t a bad touch. He makes the viewers feel they are struggling right along with him as he fights to uncover the very evil he is personally haunted by. James and McAdams also add to the strong main cast of temerarious investigators.

Having given proper credit to the main cast, the next item of interest is the spectacular supporting cast. Stanley Tucci plays lawyer Mitchell Garabedian with such believability that one doubts whether or not they are actually watching an over-worked worrisome lawyer with the law around his throat. Tucci’s performance as a man who is tied by impossibly intricate legal subterfuge is a testament that stereotypical characters can be pulled off by employing the correct actors. Even more astounding is the cunning way he burrows around the legalese to help our heroes expose the wrong-doing that the justice system has failed to. Even the least important characters are done well, including the church officials, victims and the copious government workers that are to be encountered.

Dealing with subject matters such as child molestation, religious hypocrisy and sexual orientation, it can be easy to slip over the line of seriousness such a piece is trying to promote and into the land of awkward, off-putting comedy – the type that only comes with handling mature situations wrong. However, when the team has to interview the victims of the sexual abuse at the hands of Catholic priests, it is done with such dignity and maturity that absolutely none of the drama is cheapened or played off in a wrong or offensive manner.

Unlike some other movies centered on investigative journalism, this one is the most recent, and the most well-done. When creating a story based on the ins and outs of journalism and law, it is easy for the average movie-goer to become overwhelmed and confused as the plot points out conflicts that are inherent in these types of pieces. Spotlight again delivers. The story is easy enough to follow, yet is challenging enough not to become banal. The winding road of the investigation is explained well, without being too prattling or pandering for the audience.

The audience also can experience the emotional range that the characters are feeling on-screen quite easily. Due to the mix of understandable plot, realistic characters and well-explained situations, it becomes second nature for the audience to feel whatever emotion is being portrayed. When they are aggravated, the viewer is too. When they are relieved, the viewer is too. Audience members are kept with the characters at every emotional level they reach, making the film all the more accurate in presenting its story.

The only warning comes from the film’s serious and dark subject matter. The topics and issues discussed therein are for mature viewers and the film works at its best if you are willing to be completely serious for the runtime. That being said, Spotlight is a must see, beating out every other dramatic film in recent years. Filmgoers that enjoy being entertained and are in want of a compelling, intriguing story that keeps them on the edge of their seats in anticipation, could not ask for a better film than Spotlight.