Rotten Tomatoes
Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Spotlight

Play trailer 2:31 Poster for Spotlight R 2015 2h 9m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
97% Tomatometer 378 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
In 2001, editor Marty Baron of The Boston Globe assigns a team of journalists to investigate allegations against John Geoghan, an unfrocked priest accused of molesting more than 80 boys. Led by editor Walter "Robby" Robinson (Michael Keaton), reporters Michael Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo), Matt Carroll and Sacha Pfeiffer interview victims and try to unseal sensitive documents. The reporters make it their mission to provide proof of a cover-up of sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Spotlight

Spotlight

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Spotlight gracefully handles the lurid details of its fact-based story while resisting the temptation to lionize its heroes, resulting in a drama that honors the audience as well as its real-life subjects.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Zach Schonfeld Newsweek 02/28/2018
Spotlight manages the seemingly impossible task of wooing journalists with authenticity while still elevating reporters to hero status, as they battle a formidable and corrupt institution with righteous determination. Go to Full Review Michael Phillips Chicago Tribune 02/26/2017
4/4
Ruffalo gets top billing in the movie, and he brings some wonderfully lived-in behavioral details to his performance -- the quick, terrier-like movements of the head and the bitten-off sentences. Go to Full Review Sara Michelle Fetters MovieFreak.com 08/22/2016
4/4
Spotlight giving center stage to unsung warriors for truth who understood telling the story right, without embellishment, without melodramatic editorial excess, was the greatest victory of them all. Go to Full Review Don Shanahan Every Movie Has a Lesson Jul 31
5/5
This ensemble is flawless at every level. Not a single performance is preening or misaligned with the central cause to respect the stern roots of the actual history. Go to Full Review Pradeep Menon Firstpost 11/01/2023
Spotlight is a must-watch for people in the media, as well as people who consume the media, because it reaffirms a belief in the ideals of journalism. Go to Full Review Mark Johnson Awards Daily 06/14/2023
It’s not just that it is a profound story, but one that is executed to perfection that draws out such emotion. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Steven M. 11/15/2021 Well-written and acted film! Michael Keaton and Rachel McAdams, especially, live up to expectations. See more Sum W 5d Really good, but disturbing... See more Thyaagu C @Thyaagu Jan 30 Absolute Knockout. A masterful punch that hits hard and leaves you reeling! See more Javier T. @jtejedorsojo Dec 21 Excellent story and writing. Superb acting. Have watched it 4 times already. See more Gregory S @Gregory566 Dec 3 It is not very often that I a can say this, and not truly question it. This is one of the most important movies that has ever been made. See more DAVID W Nov 14 It was very well done - the script and acting and photography - and the story of the abuse and cover up by the Church was clearly depicted. The story caught my interest and it felt if I was being given insights how investigative journalism worked. So I admired it, but it didn't stir my emotions and was, perhaps, a bit too long. See more Read all reviews
Spotlight

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

View All

Tom McCarthy

Director

Mark Ruffalo

Michael Rezendes

Michael Keaton

Walter "Robby" Robinson

Rachel McAdams

Sacha Pfeiffer

Liev Schreiber

Marty Baron

John Slattery

Ben Bradlee Jr.

Movie Clips

View All

Spotlight

View more videos

More Like This

View All
The End of the Tour 92% 82% The End of the Tour Watchlist Winter's Bone 94% 76% Winter's Bone Watchlist TRAILER for Winter's Bone Birds of Paradise 65% 37% Birds of Paradise Watchlist TRAILER for Birds of Paradise The Wife 85% 77% The Wife Watchlist TRAILER for The Wife Drop Squad 17% 44% Drop Squad Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More
View All

Spotlight

Spotlight: B-Roll 2 Spotlight: B-Roll 2 5:22 Spotlight: B-Roll 1 Spotlight: B-Roll 1 6:04 Spotlight: Trailer 1 Spotlight: Trailer 1 2:31 View more videos
View All

Spotlight

(L-R) Rachel McAdams as Sacha Pfeiffer, Mark Ruffalo as Michael Rezendes and Brian d'Arcy James as Matt Carroll in "Spotlight." (L-R) Rachel McAdams as Sacha Pfeiffer, Mark Ruffalo as Michael Rezendes, Brian d'Arcy James as Matt Carroll, Michael Keaton as Walter 'Robby' Robinson and John Slattery as Ben Bradlee Jr. in "Spotlight." (L-R) Michael Keaton as Walter 'Robby' Robinson and Mark Ruffalo as Michael Rezendes in "Spotlight." Spotlight (2015) Spotlight (2015) Spotlight (2015) Spotlight (2015) Spotlight (2015) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In 2001, editor Marty Baron of The Boston Globe assigns a team of journalists to investigate allegations against John Geoghan, an unfrocked priest accused of molesting more than 80 boys. Led by editor Walter "Robby" Robinson (Michael Keaton), reporters Michael Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo), Matt Carroll and Sacha Pfeiffer interview victims and try to unseal sensitive documents. The reporters make it their mission to provide proof of a cover-up of sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church.
Director
Tom McCarthy
Producer
Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, Blye Pagon Faust
Screenwriter
Josh Singer, Tom McCarthy
Distributor
Open Road
Production Co
Anonymous Content, Rocklin/Faust
Rating
R (Some Language|Sexual References)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 20, 2015, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 2, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$45.0M
Runtime
2h 9m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
Most Popular at Home Now