Journalism has lengthy been a well-liked topic for films, having been the main focus of such classics as Ace within the Gap (1951), All of the President‘s Males (1976), Broadcast Information (1987), and arguably the best movie ever made, Citizen Kane (1941). However, so far as journalism movies launched within the twenty first century go, no movie has come near topping Highlight (2015). Directed by Tom McCarthy, Highlight facilities on a small group of reporters at The Boston Globe, often called the “Highlight” group, who examine allegations of kid molestation by Catholic monks and uncover a systemic cover-up by the Boston Catholic Church. The movie was so well-received by critics that it received two Academy Awards, together with Greatest Image.
Whereas it might be one thing of a cliché to say {that a} film has solely gotten extra related within the years after its launch, Highlight is within the uncommon firm of movies that genuinely match this description to a tee. Even because it turns a decade outdated, latest developments pertaining to each the Catholic Church and the state of American journalism have retroactively imbued Highlight with such prescience that it borders on eerie. Whereas Highlight‘s technical deserves and correct portrayal of investigative journalism alone make it price watching in 2025, it is the methods the world has modified (and never modified) within the decade following its launch that make it important viewing.
‘Highlight’ Realistically Depicts Investigative Journalism
Many Hollywood movies and TV exhibits about investigative journalism — together with ones about real-life information tales — make the occupation appear exhilarating and fast-paced. However Highlight takes the alternative method, specializing in the tedious and infrequently irritating work that went into the Highlight group’s investigation into the Boston Catholic Church. Certainly, their investigative work consists primarily of combing by seemingly countless paper data — typically properly into the night time — and in search of interviews by making cellphone calls and knocking on doorways.
Most of their makes an attempt to interview each church officers and victims are met with coldness, hostility, and defensiveness. Moreover, the tales shared by the few people who find themselves prepared to talk with the group are so disturbing and heartbreaking that they clearly take a extreme psychological and emotional toll on the reporters who should hold listening to them.
Assuming the movie’s intent is to pay tribute to and promote journalism, it might appear counterintuitive to depict it as so tedious, draining, and unrewarding. However, in actual fact, it is exactly Highlight‘s framing of journalism that makes it so efficient on this entrance. By displaying how little materials profit is in retailer for the members of the Highlight group in pursuing their story, the movie exhibits the viewers that, in its purest type, journalism is an unselfish public service. With out the willingness of your entire group to dedicate a lot of their effort and time to an investigation that carried little reward and loads of threat for his or her psychological well being {and professional} reputations, there would have been no different technique of holding the Catholic Church accountable and offering justice for its victims.
This message is hammered dwelling by the movie’s ending, through which the Highlight receives a cascade of calls from a whole bunch of newly empowered victims after the publication of their exposé within the Globe. Usually, being rewarded for a number of years of laborious work with even extra work could be an disagreeable final result. However, for the Highlight group (and journalists extra broadly), it’s gratifying to be swarmed with these calls as a result of it exhibits that they’ve empowered so many individuals to come back ahead. In a approach, their work is its personal reward.
The Relevance of ‘Highlight’ in 2025
The subject material of Highlight returned to the general public consciousness earlier this 12 months with the passing of Pope Francis and the following election of Pope Leo XIV, the primary American pope, as his successor. Though Pope Leo has vowed that the Church won’t tolerate abuse below his watch, his personal combined document of coping with baby sexual abuse as a bishop in Peru has come below heavy scrutiny from activists and previous victims.
Solely time will inform whether or not the Pope follows by on his guarantees to reform the Church and defend all future generations of kids. However, in any occasion, the Highlight group’s investigation, in addition to all the following investigations that have been launched because of it, has a minimum of made the Church’s skill to cowl up any additional transgressions tougher, if not unimaginable.
However the movie’s significance to the current day resonates far past the Catholic Church. Maybe its most essential theme is the need for journalistic independence, as Baron bluntly states to Boston Archbishop Bernard Regulation after the latter’s suggestion that the Church and the Globe ought to “work collectively. ” The precept of journalistic independence has more and more come below assault, notably by the administration of present US President Donald Trump. Actually, in a disturbing instance of life imitating artwork, Baron himself just lately echoed his movie counterpart whereas criticizing billionaire and Washington Publish proprietor Jeff Bezos, who he argues has undermined the Publish‘s journalistic integrity to appease Trump. (Baron was the Publish‘s editor from 2012 to 2021 after leaving the Globe.)
As optimistic as Highlight is in regards to the energy of journalism to make a distinction and maintain corrupt establishments accountable, it’s not naive in regards to the menace that mentioned establishments pose. On this regard, Highlight can not have aged any higher, and can in all probability proceed to age properly for the subsequent a number of years. Highlight may be streamed at no cost on Tubi.
Highlight
- Launch Date
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November 25, 2015
- Runtime
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128minutes