Telling the true story of the
Boston Globe newspaper taking on the Catholic Church over its decades of covering up of child sex abuse by priests, this could very easily be mired in the worthy-but-dull category. That it isn't is down to a wide range of factors. Firstly, it doesn't sensationalise the events: the investigative journalism process is only occasionally condensed to a montage and is largely shown for the agonisingly slow plod that it really is. Secondly, there are many other themes constantly playing in the background: the counter-reaction of a monolithic institution that is not just a part of society but makes up society when placed under threat, the ways in which the legal process and media can be used to sweep things under the carpet and the constant underlying menace in the subtle exhortations to the team of reporters to let sleeping dogs lie. It's also well served by a fine cast, particularly Michael Keaton as the editor of the team.
Unfortunately, not many who don't already have their mind made up against the hypocrisy of the Church will see this, and so the overall effect of the barrage of revelations about the magnitude of the problem is limited. But it still has to be done, nevertheless.
7/10
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