Now, as a film, it's very good. But the problem is that there is really no standout acting. Don't get me wrong, the team work concept is fine. But maybe outside of Dr. Bruce Banner, I really can't see anybody getting an Academy Award. Heck, some of the victims (i.e. the head of the recovery group, the gay guy, etc.) actually intrigued me more then these big time actors. Not saying these star actors were bad. They were not. It's just like nobody really had a performance that carried the film. Ray Donavan was good but I actually wanted to see more of him. Birdman/Bruce Wayne acting was good but again. Nothing special.
As a film though, I thought it had a powerful message. Focusing on attacking the system instead of just the pedo priest was good. Similar to our day in time of targeting institutional racism instead of just focusing on killer police. Though there was no flashback scenes of kids getting raped, the description of what happened to these kids was just as powerful.
The way homosexuality was talked about in here was not realistic for that time either. I won't go into detail because it's a minor point. But the way it's accepted seme more like 2015 then 2000. Again, nothing major but it had that agenda feel. But overall a very good film but it could have been classic with more tension, conflict, etc. It just felt like they had to rush though it through the story. Instead of us spending time with these characters.
glad they didn't really get into it besides talking about it without going into graphic detail. not a movie i would watch again. mcadams was looking good tho
