Spotlight review

Tom McCarthy’s new film Spotlight tells the true story of the four investigative journalists from the Boston Globe, the ‘Spotlight’ team, who lifted the lid on the sexual abuse of children by Roman Catholic priests in the Boston area.

A talented ensemble of Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, and Brian d’Arcy James provide solid performances as the Spotlight team with Ruffalo being particularly noteworthy for his portrayal of workaholic journalist Mike Rezendes.

An excellent script from director McCarthy and Josh Singer also offers a look at the world of investigative journalism that is more in-depth and interesting that what has been seen in many factually based films before.

Spotlight doesn’t need to dress up the facts to make the story behind it both compelling and shocking. If you’re looking for a film of a more serious and challenging bent this weekend then this one is certainly worth your time.

Star Rating: 4/5

The Big Short review

Based on the bestselling non-fiction book by Michael Lewis, The Big Short follows the eccentric group of people who decided to bet against the US housing market in the lead-up to the financial crash of 2007 – 10. 

These people include the heavy metal loving and socially awkward hedge fund manager Michael Burry (Christian Bale), the outspoken Mark Baum (Steve Carell), and the young duo of Charlie Geller (John Magaro) and Jamie Shipley (Finn Wittrock.)

For the most part, the film delivers on the comedic promise of its trailers while at the same time delivering hard facts about the lead-up to the financial crisis. It also boasts some strong performance from its ensemble cast, especially from Christian Bale as Burry.

The unfortunate thing is that what might work in book form appears sprawling and bloated on-screen. Also despite its didactic approach, the film doesn’t ultimately seem to have anything new or interesting to say about the financial crisis or its causes. Sure we’re given plenty of detail and lots of financial jargon – which the filmmakers, to their credit, chose not to dumb down – but we’re still not left anymore enlightened by the end of the film than we were at the beginning.

The Big Short tells an important story. How it tells it though is less than impressive.

Star Rating: 3/5

Room review

A woman (Brie Larson) and her five-year-old son Jack (Jacob Tremblay) live their lives within a single soundproofed room in which the woman – who the boy only knows as ma – was imprisoned seven years before. 

Since he has known nothing but it, Jack only recognises the reality of the room and everything within its walls: the sea can’t be real, he reasons, because it is too big. He thinks the same about trees although he recognises the existence of plants since there is a potted one actually in the room.

As the film progresses, Jack’s mother tries to convince him of the existence of the outside world whilst also trying to contrive a means of escape from the room and their captor ‘Old Nick’ (Sean Bridgers).

Lenny Abrahamson’s adaptation of the novel by Emma Donoghue (who also wrote the screenplay) is profoundly moving. Its examination of the effects of a child’s environment on their psychological development is also interesting and insightful.

Despite putting what might be the climax of a similar movie in the middle of the film, Room never loses its ability to interest. This is thanks to committed performances from young Jacob Tremblay and Brie Larson as well as Abrahamson’s direction, which does an excellent job of capturing a child’s silver lined view of the world.

It will be interesting to see how the film fares at the Academy Awards where it has, rather deservedly, been nominated in four categories – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actress (for Larson).

Star Rating: 5/5