'Spotlight' makes the case for more grown-up movies

The acclaimed new drama Spotlight is being called an homage to old-fashioned journalism -- and it is -- but it's also, on a more stealthy level, a reminder of how vital serious films for adults are.

It's sad that we so rarely get mainstream films anymore that feature no special effects, no cat-and-mouse chase sequences, and no condescension to audiences.

Spotlight is a sober and realistic retelling of The Boston Globe's investigation into the sexual abuse cover-up within the Catholic Church and while it has moments of levity and is definitely entertaining, it's the rare film I've seen this year that isn't afraid to have gravitas.

The film benefits from one of the best ensemble casts of the year -- featuring standout roles from Mark Ruffalo and Michael Keaton -- two of our best character actors. Spotlight wisely isn't dominated by any star turn or histrionic performance, its bigger than any one person. This is a film that effectively evokes a world and conspiracy without overstatement.

It is a low-key film, with few showy Oscar moments. And it's not as dynamic visually as say Mad Max: Fury Road or as emotional as Room, but it'll likely go down as one of the best films of the year, if for no other reason than it stands out as being about something.

Message movies can be tricky. You can feel like you're getting beat over the head with a heavy-handed narrative that is more or less preaching to the choir. But even though any person watching Spotlight would obviously understand that what the Catholic Church did was wrong, the movie does a great job of portraying why people (particularly of the Catholic faith) would feel torn about pursuing such an explosive story.

Rachel McAdams, Michael Keaton and Mark Ruffalo in Spotlight

The enormity of what was accomplished becomes most apparent right before the final credits roll -- this doesn't spoil anything for anyone -- the film presents the names of other cities where abuse scandals have been revealed in the aftermath of the Globe's investigation, and the sheer breadth of the crisis is simply stunning.

Meanwhile, I'm very curious about how this film will perform commercially. It's doing very well in smaller markets -- as prestige films generally do. But I feel like we are living in an age where people are more often than not willing to go see films about downbeat subject matter in theaters.

Spotlight doesn't gloss over the details of the abuse, which I appreciated, but it doesn't dwell on them either. It is not a relentlessly depressing or bleak film. And yet, I can imagine many people will feel like seeing the movie is like taking their medicine.

This is a shame because films like this, which put a priority on writing an acting, deserve to be seen. Although it is a very different movie, I was reminded of another Ruffalo drama, the underrated Foxcatcher, which was similarly quiet and muted, but also had a devastating power to it.

It's also a movie virtually no one went to see in theaters. I hope the same fate doesn't await Spotlight.