Republic of the Philippines

UNIVERSITY OF RIZAL SYSTEM

Morong Campus

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
SY 2021-2022

FILM ANALYSIS
(Final Term)

Name: Borgueta, Sarah Joy B.

Section: 1-E2

Date Submitted: November 27, 2021

Deadline of Submission: December 4, 2021

Subject Facilitator: Prof. Johanne SJ. Aterrado

Film Title: Spotlight

Adapted From: True story of Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of
child molestation of Catholic church in Boston.

Year of Release: 2015

Director: Tom McCarthy

Genre: Drama and History

Setting: at Boston Globe

Lead Actors: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams

Main Characters and their Attributes:

Robby Robinson (Michael Keaton)- the head of the newspaper’s Spotlight team
Mike Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo) – one of the members of Spotlight team who uncover
the sexual abuse and molestations of Boston Priest
Sacha Pfeiffer (Rachel McAdams) – A female journalist who is also in the Spotlight
team, searching for the victims of massive scandal of Catholic priest in Boston.
Cardinal Law- the one who cover-up the sexual abusive priests instead of listening to
the victims’ sufferings.
Theme: The underlying truth about the sexual abuse and molestation of Catholic
priests in Boston.

Conflict: Conflict between justice and faith

Resolution: The Spotlight team did their best uncovered the Catholic church
scandal. They successfully accessed the files about the case and, interviewed the
victims, lawyers, reporters, and others involved in the case. In other words, they
found out the truth and later, published a newspaper about it.

Plot Summary:
A new editor-in-chief of Boston Globe gave a new mission to the Spotlight
team, to uncover the case about Geoghan case. It was a case wherein a priest
who molested kids in six different parishes over the last 30 years, and the lawyer
of the victims said that Cardinal law, who also a priest, knew about it for 15 years
but, did nothing. Insufficient evidence didn’t include the allegation to Cardinal law
hence, the new editor-in-chief wanted to investigate the case with the
investigative team which is the Spotlight. The Spotlight team consist of four
members namely, Robby Robinson, Sacha Pfeiffer, Robby Robinson, which were
the three people involve in the investigation, and Mr. Robby who was their boss.
The team dropped their current story that time and decided to hold the Geoghan
case. Spotlight team went through a tough situation wherein they need to
consider the state of the victims they interviewed, the people who are Christian
Catholic believers, and their faith. It was tough, bringing something controversial
over the church especially, to those who quoted as “the men of God,” used by
God to preach the word of God yet caught by sexual abused.
At the end of the story, the Spotlight team successfully brought the truth,
and it was shockingly news because there were estimated over 90 Boston priest
involved in sexual abuse, and Cardinal law were guilty of covering up these
activities. The newspaper about this scandal roaming around the Boston and
being read by the Catholics. It was considered as a massive scandal in Catholic
church.

1. Explain why do you think the title was chosen for the film/story: I think Spotlight
was the chosen title of the film because of the main characters which were
belong to the Spotlight team, and the fact that they were the one who
brought out the truth about the Geoghan case.

2. What is/are the moral dilemma/s of the film? The moral dilemma of the film is
the team need to put specific information from the victims and it must be
published so that the world knew the truth. However, the team must also do
it carefully to not harm the victims’ emotional state.
3. Explain how does the main character solve the moral dilemma? The main
characters carefully asked permission first and they gave freedom to them
if they want to disclose the topic or not. the victims were also carefully
asked about what happened on those times they were in abuse. They used
a one on one and group interviews where the only included in the group
was the spotlight team and the victim, inside the secret room.

4. What are the parts of the movie you find interesting and what makes it
compelling? The most compelling part of the film is as the Spotlight team
continues investigating the case, more priests are being involve in the
case. It becomes more compelling to me because, it will only show that a
lot of victims didn’t really got justice.

5. Explain the ending of the film: The ending of the story is somewhat not really
the ending but the continuation of getting more confession about the other
victims that only appears when the truth about the Geoghan case were
being published.

6. Explain the moral of the film: the moral of the film was having a courage, as a
team, to unfold the truth despite different conflicts and unfolding truths
requires courage and taking risk.

7. Explain why the film is related to ethics (specify the topics/principles/theories

involved):

It was related to ethics because of some factors:

Difference between Ethics and Religion. Religious organization like Catholic
church, as a part of globalization and who’s one of the groups in community, has
a basic commitment in making peace, human dignity, human equality, and
making conflict resolutions, involve in a massive sexual abuse and molestation
scandal. It serves as a big question to Catholic people.

Kants and the rights theorists. Moral rights. It is stated that humans are the
only beings gifted with rationality hence, the spotlight team chose to fight for the
rights of the victims and people to have justice and to know the truth.