I recently watched the movie, Spotlight. The movie is based on the true story of how the Boston Globe’s special investigative reporting team uncovered the systemic cover up of  Pedophile Priests by the head of Boston’s Catholic Church, Cardinal Bernard Law.

Their findings found almost 90 children, mostly boys molested or sexually abused by priests in the archdiocese.  All of it was covered up by the Church which operated on an elaborate system of transfers of these priests that was unlocked by the Spotlight team.

More than a 1,000 victims came forward after the news broke.  Also, the Globe’s investigation led to major upheaval in the Catholic Church because the cover up was world-wide.

The movie is also an indictment of parishioners,  government leaders and law enforcement for their complicit participation in the cover up that favored the Church over the victims.

The movie is heart wrenching.  It shows the abuse of religious power and the way followers complied with Church direction rather than pursue these criminal priests.

Acting kudos go to the ensemble cast -Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci, Brian d’Arcy James, Liev Schreiber, and Billy Crudup.

The film has been nominated for three Golden Globes and two SAG awards

A story and movie for our times.