"Spotlight" concentrates on the conflicted agendas of the investigative reporters and editors, many of them Irish-Catholics, writing about allegations of sexual abuse of children by priests and the alleged cover-up by the Archdiocese of Boston. The story is assigned by Marty Baron (Liev Schreiber), newly appointed editor of The Boston Globe.

"Spotlight," which is based on true events, tells the story in the manner of a television procedural drama, not unlike "Law & Order" or "CSI," sans the percussive sound effects. The Boston Globe received the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for the Spotlight Team series of stories, on which the film is based."Spotlight" has six Oscar nominations: best picture, actor (Mark Ruffalo), supporting actress (Rachel McAdams), directing (Tom McCarthy), original screenplay (McCarthy, Josh Singer) and editing (Tom McArdle).Perhaps because of the delicate nature of the topic at the heart of the story, the screenplay by McCarthy (director, "Win Win," 2011; "The Visitor," 2007; "The Station Agent," 2001) and Singer, as well as McCarthy's direction is doggedly straightforward, muted and approached in documentary film style.The acting is solid, including that of Ruffalo as Spotlight reporter Mike Rezendes, Michael Keaton as Spotlight team editor Walter Robinson, Rachel McAdams as Spotlight reporter Sacha Pfeiffer, Brian d'Arcy James as Spotlight reporter Matt Carroll, John Slattery as Globe editor Ben Bradlee Jr., and Stanley Tucci as attorney Mitchell Garabedian."Spotlight" is no "All the President's Men" (1976), although one senses the filmmakers viewed the topic and film in that context.As with that Watergate-era film, "Spotlight" is a story of "how I got that story," aka "emptying your notebook," one of the, no pun intended, cardinal sins of journalism. The story itself is always more interesting and compelling. Alas, with this film, the "Spotlight" is elsewhere."Spotlight," MPAA rated R (Restricted. Children Under 17 Require Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian.) for some language including sexual references; Genre: Biography, Drama; Run time: 2 hrs., eight mins.; Distributed by Open Road Films.Credit Readers Anonymous: While "Spotlight" is set in Boston, it was filmed primarily in Toronto, including newspaper interiors at The Globe and Mail offices there.Box Office, Feb, 5: "Kung Fu Panda 3" chopped through the competition on Super Bowl 50 weekend, continuing at No. 1 two weeks in a row with $21 million, $69 million, two weeks, keeping "Hail, Caesar!" opening at No. 2, with $11.4 million, as "The Revenant" (12 Oscar nominations, SAG actor award for its star, Leonardo DiCaprio, and a Directors Guild Award for its director Alejandro G. Inarritu) dropped to No. 3, with $7.1 million, $149.7 million, seven weeks;4. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (five Oscar nominations), $6.8 million, $905.9 million (North America and $2 billion worldwide), eight weeks; 5. "The Choice," $6 million, opening; 6. "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies," $5.2 million, opening; 7. "The Finest Hours," $4.7 million, $18.3 million, two weeks; 8. "Ride Along 2," $4.5 million, $77.2 million, four weeks; 9. "The Boy," $4 million, $26.8 million, three weeks; 10. "Dirty Grandpa," $4 million, $29.3 million, three weeks.Unreel, Feb. 10:"Deadpool," R: Tim Miller directs Ryan Reynolds, Karan Soni, Ed Skrein and Michael Benyaer in the science-fiction action film about a former Special Forces operative who has healing powers."Zoolander 2," PG-13: Ben Stiller directs Olivia Munn, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kristen Wiig, Penélope Cruz, Owen Wilson and himself in the comedy that reunites Derek and Hansel who try to prevent a competitor from putting them out of business."How to Be Single," R: Christian Ditter directs Dakota Johnson, Alison Brie, Leslie Mann and Rebel Wilson in the romantic comedy about a group of single friends in New York City."Touched With Fire," R: Paul Dalio directs Katie Holmes, Luke Kirby, Christine Lahti and Griffin Dunne in the romantic drama about two manic depressives who meet in a psychiatric hospital and fall in love."Where to Invade Next," R: Michael Moore directs a mockumentary about him "invading" foreign nations.Two popcorn boxes out of fives popcorn boxes.