Spotlight: A Journey into Investigative Journalism

739 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Concepts of effective communication

Film Essay The film, Spotlight, directed by Tim McCarthy and written by McCarthy and Josh Singer, was a fantastic journey into the world of investigative journalism. Investigative journalism is when reporters go out and make it their mission to investigate certain topics. They take months or years even to fully prepare to release a story that brings serious issues to the attention of the people, especially the authorities. Not everyone agrees with their type of work, especially in today's times when people can write about anything whether it is legitimate or not. Spotlight's themes coordinate with the idea of investigative journalism and justice from beginning to end. The incredible main characters such as Mike Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo), Walter …show more content…

The setting is brought back in time to the 1970’s, in a newsroom, full of happy and dedicated journalists. A specific scene that Sheila O’Malley, a reviewer of RogerEbert, enjoys distinctly towards the end is when the press is printing and spreading the story of the church abuses. She says that a scene like that is so modern-day and overused, but Spotlight gives a vast amount of emotion detail to it which makes it exquisite. The movie begins with a strong message and ends with a strong message. McCarthy’s understanding of journalism and its impact on the people is astounding. Another reviewer notes that McCarthy’s view on writers comes directly from their articles (Scott). The acting for the characters is what makes the whole movie intriguing. The actors were able to portray the journalistic vision McCarthy had based off of what he knew, and they were able to fill the characters with soul, emotion, and realistic reactions to all spectrums of what would happen in a situation similar to the event. An example of the heart an actor put into a character is when Baron’s character says, “We need to focus on the institution, not the individual priests. Practice and policy; show me the church manipulated the system so that these guys wouldn't have to face charges, show me they put those same priests back into parishes time and time again. Show me this was systemic, that it came from the top, down” (Spotlight). There is an instant strong emotion given off in this statement for the viewers to see the determination an actual person would

Show More
Related

  • Annotated Bibliography On The Crucible

    399 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the article, Miller discusses the rise of McCarthyism, and how it affected the American people and him personally. Being that Miller lived in the time of McCarthyism and was interviewed by the committee in charge of “Un-American Activities”, Miller is a very credible source on the effects of mass hysteria and paranoia. The article “Are You Now or Were You Ever” can be used as a source when discussing McCarthyism and its effects, and other studies of the era. This article is a valuable resource for studies of The Crucible and studies of Arthur Miller

    Read More

  • Justice For Sparkle Summary

    932 Words  | 2 Pages

    Justice for Sparkle helps to create an impressionable mark on the persisting prejudice that the United States still faces today. It illuminates the long lasting history of racism that has been integrated into society, especially within the United States. This documentary goes beyond the confinement of the broad spectrum of racism by looking closely at a specific case, in which race can ultimately lead to death. When the documentary was finished, I was fascinated by the motive and thought that was put into this plan in order for it to be executed properly as well as how this topic remains relevant in my own household, considering my mother is the only one in her family to married outside of her race, causing my relatives to not be supportive

    Read More

  • Review of The Crucible

    781 Words  | 2 Pages

    Arthur Miller’s political allegory of McCarthyism, in the form of The Crucible, has been adapted into a faithful companion to the play that is able to incorporate the emotions and atmosphere that may not have been available to some in the play. Miller’s screenplay is very faithful to the book, having many of the same lines and situations the character in the play experience. Because of this, we are able to make an active connection to the play, thus expanding our understanding of the play. Lead by Daniel Day-Lewis, The Crucible’s plot is portrayed by a solid cast, who, for the most part, are able to engross the viewer into the story. The film contains many captivating scenes that exemplify hysteria meant to be depicted in the play, that demands the viewers attention while also immersing them in emotions. The film adaptation of The Crucible is a well produced version of the play that not only serves as a companion to the play, but an entertaining and though provoking experience.

    Read More

  • Inherent Vice: Movie Analysis

    743 Words  | 2 Pages

    Incohesive, long, and dialogue-heavy, Inherent Vice has all the potential to flounder. Yet under the steady (or rather, wild) hands of director Paul Thomas Anderson, the film becomes a psychedelic, incredibly enjoyable ride brimming with wit and melancholy. The film follows Larry ‘Doc’ Sportello (played in routinely magnificent fashion by the now ever-reliable Joaquin Phoenix), and his exploits to help his ex-girlfriend, Shasta Fey (Katherine Waterston, also exquisite) investigate a kidnapping of notorious real-estate billionaire Mickey Wolfmann. From there, the plot descends (or ascends, depending on your perspective of the film) into sumptuous lunacy; a mystery involving the coveted and secretive

    Read More

  • The Crucible

    1064 Words  | 3 Pages

    During Author Miller’s era of the 1950’s, the ‘cold war’ was happening. Senetor Joeseph McCarthy was completely against communism and began to arrest the communists and people assosiating with them. Those arrested were forced to either name names to identify those who were communists or thought to be, or else they would remain in jail. This was callef McCarthyism For many, being prisioned was a terrible frightening thought so they would name names including any that they could think of that could be innocent. Author Miller was arrested for associating with communists and refused to identify others, and wrote The Crucible, using it as an allegory to identify the problems of society and it’s flaws of the corrupt government.

    Read More

  • The Dalton Trumbo: An Exceptional Film

    281 Words  | 1 Pages

    An exceptional film revolving around Dalton Trumbo and many other Hollywood artists. In 1947, Dalton Trumbo and many Hollywood figures were blacklisted for their political beliefs. This film depicts the effects that the blacklist and those who enforced it had on the lives of the communist in America; particularly those in Hollywood. Trumbo gathers his fellow Hollywood writers and tries to prove to said enforcers that their beliefs are theirs alone and does not affect their ability to produce great films. This film does exactly what its set out to do; it brings you to the time when amazing writers were blacklisted for believing in something other than the norm, and fighting for their right to believe in whatever they choose.

    Read More

  • Crime after Crime: A Documentary

    831 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the documentary Crime After Crime, Deborah Peagler suffered abuse from her intimate partner through her life. The abuse started in High School. When her mother introduced her to Oliver Wilson, his charming personality fooled everyone. Oliver forced her into prostitution to make money for him. When she refused, he beat her until she promised to sell herself. The beating gradationally evolved to bull whipping. In addition, all of this occurred during her junior and senior year in high school. Oliver felt it was his right to have ultimate control over Deborah, this fact is generally accepted in the society (Belknap 247). The male dominance, male authority over women is something taught to young children. It is sought to be the place of women to wait for the husband by the door when he comes home. The male masculinity fact kicked in and it drove him to force his dominance over Deborah into physical abuse. When Deborah refused to do his bidding, he felt it was necessary for him to show her who is in control by beating her. This is the message sent to young boys of past generations and a bit less for the current one through media and entertainment.

    Read More

  • Touch Of Evil

    1285 Words  | 3 Pages

    The film stays in line with classic noir in many ways. The usage of dark sets and high contrast lighting, which creates heavy shadows on the actors faces, makes the movie feel like it all happens at night and in dark alley ways. The story focuses on the inhumane parts of human nature. Each of the main characters experiences some kind of tragedy. For Vargas his tragedy was in dealing with Quinlin who has set out to frame him and his wife. For Quinlin his entire life represented a man consumed with darkness who lives his life with a “Touch of Evil.” Menzies was a hopeful man who looked up to Quinlin but was let down. For the viewer, film noir represents truth, even if it is not a truth that all people would like to hear.

    Read More

  • The Crucible by Arthur Miller

    994 Words  | 2 Pages

    Miller uses similarities between Abigail and Procter and real people from the McCarthy era, relations with characters Danforth, Hathorne and Hale with organizations from the McCarthy era and the method of choosing a controversial topic similar to communism to show allegory. The strategies Miller used to craft this play included using literary terms and features, setting, plot events and characters to convey his overall criticism of the time period. The McCarthy era greatly contributed to Arthur Millers development of the plot of this play and the ability to connect with the audience and make them relate what they saw to their own lives.

    Read More

  • The Many Challenges in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible

    1080 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the drama, The Crucible, the characters are faced with chilling choices as they maneuver through a world that has lost its moral compass. The crucibles, the serious tests, of their dearly held values put them in the position of having to figure out what is right and true in a world turned upside down. The value of truth is tested when lies are rewarded and truth brings suffering, shame and the scaffold of the gallows. The value of justice is challenged by a system that comes to be based on coerced confessions, unsubstantiated charges and self-serving political scheming. The value of love, be it of husband and wife or of friends and community, is put to the test where true love is exemplified by fatal choices.

    Read More

  • How the Media Uses an Ideal Victim in Portrayals of Crime

    1988 Words  | 4 Pages

    In recent years, the subject of crime has become an increasingly important theme of political, academic, and public debate. In particular, the media today is more focused on victims than it has ever been before. Through media representations of the ‘ideal victim’, this essay will subsequently show how the media are able to construct and re-affirm pre-existing traditional ideologies within the public realm. In effect, this assignment will critically assess the concept of an ‘ideal victim’ and show how the media have used this when describing crime.

    Read More

  • The Role of Fear Depicted in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible

    763 Words  | 2 Pages

    The play “The Crucible” is an allegory for the McCarthyism hysteria that occurred in the late 1940’s to the late 1950’s. Arthur Miller’s play “the crucible” and the McCarthyism era demonstrates how fear can begin conflict. The term McCarthyism has come to mean “the practice of making accusations of disloyalty”, which is the basis of the Salem witch trials presented in Arthur Miller’s play. The fear that the trials generate leads to the internal and external conflicts that some of the characters are faced with, in the play. The town’s people fear the consequences of admitting their displeasure of the trials and the character of John Proctor faces the same external conflict, but also his own internal conflict. The trials begin due to Abigail and her friends fearing the consequences of their defiance of Salem’s puritan society.

    Read More

  • Case Study: The Boston Globe And Sexual Abuse In The Catholic Church

    2560 Words  | 6 Pages

    The Spotlight Team became the foot in the doorway for all journalists to have the courage be able to report the truth without fear of reprisal, and especially have the courage to report on something that no one wants to talk about and no one wants to hear.

    Read More

  • Objectivity of Documentary Film: Cinema Vérité

    1557 Words  | 4 Pages

    The ideation of objectivity remains a highly debatable subject among philosophical elites. Some philosophers may argue that human’s understanding of objectivity is subject to the scope of understanding of the term and exposure (Livingstone & Plantinga 10). When the term objectivity is entwined with realism, it yields a complex ideation that remains highly debatable and less agreeable among erudite authors (Livingstone & Plantinga 23). However, to understand and appreciate the concept of realism and objectivity in film, it becomes critical to adopt a definite definition. First, the term reality in film is used to describe concepts that are visible in nature as experienced on a daily life by one or more individuals (Livingstone & Plantinga 24). The term objectivity in this case is used to define a set of ideations or perspectives that are incorporated in the film (Livingstone & Plantinga 24). Documentaries are used to create a form of reality, an experience or ideation of the person or group of person experiencing an event or phenomenon. The argument in this analysis is that it is impossible for documentary films to objectively capture reality.

    Read More

  • The Future of Journalism

    1581 Words  | 4 Pages

    Thirty years ago, if I told you that the primary means of communicating and disseminating information would be a series of interconnected computer networks you would of thought I was watching Star Trek or reading a science fiction novel. In 2010, the future of mass media is upon us today; the Internet. The Internet is and will only grow in the future as the primary means of delivering news, information and entertainment to the vast majority of Americans. Mass media as we know it today will take new shape and form in the next few years with the convergence and migration of three legacy mediums (Television, Radio, Newspaper) into one that is based on the Internet and will replace these mediums forever changing the face of journalism, media and politics. In this paper I will attempt to explain the transition of print media to one of the internet, how the shift to an internet based media environment will impact journalism and mass media, and how this migration will benefit society and forever change the dynamic of news and politics.

    Read More

More about Spotlight: A Journey into Investigative Journalism

Open Document