On an ordinary Friday, November 7th, "Spotlight" simultaneously appeared in ten theaters across New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, and Boston. Due to the tremendous acclaim it received at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals, a large number of moviegoers were eager to see it.
Especially Murphy's fans and some former victims of the Catholic Church were eagerly awaiting the film.
Throughout Friday, the occupancy rates for all theaters showing "Spotlight" exceeded 90%. This figure excludes professional critics and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences members who could attend screenings for free.
For this film, professional critics were ready to go all out.
For films related to current events, critics' reviews naturally attract more moviegoers. Moreover, one of the film's main characters, or rather the antagonist, is the Catholic Church.
Like Hollywood in the past, professional critics have been cautious when dealing with religious topics to avoid unnecessary trouble. But things have changed. Since last winter, the Catholic Church has been plagued by numerous scandals revealed by the media. Criticizing the Church is now seen as entirely justified and politically correct.
Many critics, eager to watch the film as soon as the screenings began, posted their reviews on their internet or social media columns by Friday afternoon.
"In 'Spotlight,' Murphy Stanton extends from a single scandal to a critique of the system, resembling a weighty piece of documentary literature—strong narrative, meticulous dissection, layer by layer, seamlessly integrated, well-structured, precise, unemotional, and sharply edited. This perfectly captures a journalist's reporting journey. The final ending, with a phone answering 'Spotlight,' is an exquisite and shocking conclusion. Murphy has brought the 'institutional ugliness from top to bottom' to the screen, not only uncovering the roots of the Catholic scandal but also pointing to the deeper coldness of human nature, provoking deep thought."
—Kenneth Turan
"Murphy Stanton's new film realistically depicts the 'Spotlight' team's investigation of the massive child abuse scandal involving Catholic priests. The true event itself is compelling, and it is supported by a well-structured script and production, maintaining a thriller-like pace. The film seems to deliberately downplay character development and drama, instead focusing on a calm, steady pace and intricate plot, with music, cinematography, and editing providing excellent support. The performances by the leading actors are precise and brilliant. The film's greatest success is its ability to separate the issues of abuse and sexuality, highlighting the systemic corruption of the Church, the most deeply corrupt institution in the world. Watching it leaves one with a shattered reverence for religion. Although the content is brutal, it is extremely satisfying to watch."
—Todd McCarthy
Almost all reviews on the internet praised the film.
Furthermore, "The Boston Globe," closely related to the events depicted, dedicated a front-page column to reviewing the film.
"Under the direction and scriptwriting of Murphy Stanton, 'Spotlight' adopts a very restrained visual style. The film's cold and dark tones successfully create an atmosphere of pain and repression before the scandal is revealed. To highlight realism and objectivity, most scenes use an observational camera position and neutral medium-close-up shots."
"Simultaneously, 'Spotlight' demonstrates incredible maturity in its narrative. Throughout the film, it avoids exaggerating the victims' suffering to gain sympathy, does not vilify specific clergy to create villains, nor does it elevate the 'Spotlight' journalists unnecessarily. The film focuses on unraveling the case and truth, ending abruptly once the story is told, leaving a lasting impression."
"The film's approach is very restrained and subtle. It does not make moral judgments, preach, or intentionally shape characters, yet its values, emotions, and characters become vividly clear after the film ends, showcasing Murphy Stanton's skill."
"As the plot progresses, the film quietly and seamlessly develops its characters and themes, culminating in a documentary-like serious film that achieves an emotional impact with its understated style."
"In summary, 'Spotlight' is a film with a calm and restrained lens, clean and sharp editing, gripping plot, and deeply affecting emotions. All viewers who watch the ending will feel that beneath the seemingly peaceful images lies a soul-stirring force given by director Murphy Stanton!"
The media showered "Spotlight" and Murphy with praise, making it seem like the best Hollywood film of the year.
Murphy and the film's immense influence, as well as the fact that it was an extension of last year's exposure of the Catholic Church scandals, played significant roles.
Of course, many people love to kick a man when he's down.
After the opening day of limited release, Rotten Tomatoes collected 55 reviews for "Spotlight," with a 97% approval rating and an average score of 8.8. MetaCritic gathered 45 reviews, with an average score of 8.6.
Critics' and media's high praise was expected, but the film's audience reception was equally explosive.
CinemaScore, which surveys audiences, gave it an "A+" grade, and IMDB, with 6,876 user ratings, averaged a score of 9.1.
Ordinary moviegoers on sites like IMDB and social media platforms also offered glowing reviews for "Spotlight."
"While focusing on the abuse scandal, 'Spotlight' avoids succumbing to sensationalism and instead delves into the process of uncovering the scandal. The film does not deify the journalists but presents each character fully and realistically, engaging the audience and prompting self-reflection. The performances and the script's charm are best appreciated on the big screen. The extensive end credits are stunning, and the silence followed by applause in the theater was quite remarkable."
Although the film's subject matter meant it couldn't match the popularity of "Dark City" among average moviegoers, a significant number of people still rated "Spotlight" a perfect ten.
"After watching 'Spotlight' at Toronto, I saw it twice more today. Each time I left the theater deeply moved. I was moved by the journalists' relentless pursuit of truth and their self-restraint in the face of it, and by the thrill of seeing evil protected by power finally exposed."
In today's internet age, professional critics still exist and have influence, but various social platforms also provide channels for well-informed moviegoers to share their views.
"Director Murphy Stanton does not indulge in suspense or gimmicks, nor does he exploit the victims' pain for attention. Instead, his confident, understated, and succinct storytelling, combined with seamless editing, earns respect and power for the film. With a structure akin to documentary literature, the film masterfully balances multiple character performances and interweaves numerous factors, leading the audience step by step to the conclusion."
"The film's tight, disciplined pace and complete narrative are remarkable. Even with Stanton's preference for concise storytelling, he successfully captures detailed characterizations and emotional subtleties in every scene and line, showcasing his mastery of cinematic language and visual hints."
Some focused on the broader implications of the film.
"Faith, in essence, is not about worshipping a god or adhering to a doctrine but about believing in people and the world; trusting that we can overcome our limitations, rise above our desires, and save ourselves and others. As quoted in the film by Richard Sipe, a psychological expert and witness within the Catholic Church: 'The church is made of people, it will fall with time; but my faith will stay in my heart forever.'"
While "Spotlight" might not reach the heights of "Dark City" in audience perception, its reputation was stellar, ensuring strong attendance during its limited release.
On the second weekend of November, during its three-day limited release, "Spotlight" grossed over $700,000 from North American theaters, averaging $70,000 per theater.
Such box office performance and initial reception gave 20th Century Fox tremendous confidence. They decided to slightly alter their strategy, expanding "Spotlight's" theater release significantly starting the following weekend, swiftly reaching an agreement with the North American theater alliance.
North American theater chains were also keen to screen Murphy's films, as past experiences had proven they brought significant profits.
Besides assisting 20th Century Fox and CAA with promotion and public relations, Murphy closely monitored the film's various performance metrics. However, he was surprised when Bill Rossis brought unexpected news at the start of the new week.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]