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‘Spotlight’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Ryen Russillo

October 20, 2020 · Spotlight (2015) · Biography · Crime · Drama · 1:32:29

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill SimmonsLists multiple scenes including Marty Baron meeting staff, Phil Saviano explaining grooming/spiritual abuse, second Billy Crudup meeting, Sipe phone call revealing 90 priests, Baron's 'we're going after the system' speech, Sasha finding Paquin, Ruffalo's 'It's time' speech, and Keaton visiting Jim the lawyer▶ 44:52

Casting What-Ifs

Bill SimmonsMatt DamonMatt Damon almost got the Ruffalo part but it wouldn't have made sense and he was better off doing The Martian instead▶ 1:06:04
Chris RyanMatt DamonMatt Damon would have overpowered the movie in 2015 - he would have been too big of a deal for that role▶ 1:06:45
Ryen RussilloMark RuffaloMark Ruffalo was perfect for his role and it's impossible to think of anyone else doing it because of his facial expressions and how annoying he was in the best way▶ 1:06:10

Joey Pants Award

Bill SimmonsBrian d'Arcy JamesJamie Sheridan as Jim the Lawyer, but suggests Brian D.R.C. James (fourth spotlight reporter) as the better choice▶ 1:07:21
Chris RyanJamey SheridanAgrees that Jamie Sheridan qualifies as 'that guy' to most people▶ 1:07:31
Ryen RussilloBrian d'Arcy JamesAcknowledges Brian D.R.C. James as a huge stage actor but admits gaps in stage knowledge▶ 1:07:58

Dion Waiters Award

Bill SimmonsBilly CrudupBilly Crudup - praised his performance in three scenes as an NBC executive, calling it a 'nothing part' that he did a lot with▶ 1:11:08
Chris RyanBilly CrudupBilly Crudup - agreed with SPEAKER_00, praising how he was 'smarmy but still seems sincere'▶ 1:11:35
Ryen RussilloBilly CrudupBilly Crudup - agreed and noted he's 'the most likable guy ever telling you to go fuck yourself'▶ 1:11:37

Apex Mountain

Bill SimmonsLiev SchreiberThe Boston Globe (maybe), Liev Schreiber (yes), Rachel McAdams (no), newspaper movies (yes), pre-scandal movies (yes)▶ 1:14:34
Chris RyanKhakis and saying the movie title in the movie▶ 1:17:29
Ryen RussilloMark RuffaloMark Ruffalo (close but prefers Zodiac), John Slattery (Mad Men still his apex), uncertain about Liev Schreiber▶ 1:15:01

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill SimmonsDid this make up for Tom McCarthy's crime against journalism in The Wire as Scott Templeton?▶ 1:20:41
Bill SimmonsDid Michael Keaton win the 2010s over Tom Hanks?▶ 1:23:17
Chris RyanDefended Hanks' 2010s work, arguing Captain Phillips, Sully, and Bridge of Spies were better than Keaton's best recent movies, despite Hanks making some poor choices▶ 1:25:32
Ryen RussilloDiscussed the ironic circular connection between McCarthy playing a dishonest journalist in The Wire, then directing Spotlight about journalism integrity, while a real Spotlight journalist was later suspended for fabrication▶ 1:20:48
Ryen RussilloArgued Hanks dominated the 90s with films like Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, Toy Story, Saving Private Ryan, making Keaton's recent comeback insufficient to overcome Hanks' superior overall career▶ 1:24:14

Who Won the Movie

Bill SimmonsMichael KeatonKeaton - has the hardest part and feels really Massachusetts, hits the right vibe and accent▶ 1:28:03
Chris RyanMichael KeatonKeaton - keeps the tempo and has the perfect tone throughout the movie▶ 1:27:25
Ryen RussilloMark RuffaloRuffalo - awesome and annoying in the best way, shows how these guys get the job done with single-minded focus▶ 1:27:42

Movies Referenced (39)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
All the President's Men (1976)IMDb ↗Lb ↗9Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 2:39
Batman (1989)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Ryen Russillo, Bill Simmons▶ 38:59
Sully (2016)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:24:48
Zodiac (2007)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Chris Ryan, Ryen Russillo▶ 27:23
Jackie Brown (1997)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 41:05
Philadelphia (1993)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo▶ 4:31
Sleepless in Seattle (1993)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo▶ 1:23:54
Bridge of Spies (2015)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris Ryan▶ 1:25:47
Captain Phillips (2013)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 1:24:38
Cast Away (2000)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 1:26:47
Charlie Wilson's War (2007)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Ryen Russillo▶ 1:26:38
Cloud Atlas (2012)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons▶ 1:24:36

Directors Referenced (2)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Jamie SheridanIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, Chris Ryan▶ 51:57
Warren BeattyIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsHeaven Can Wait▶ 33:07

Actors Referenced (33)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Michael KeatonIMDb ↗Lb ↗38Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Ryen RussilloSpotlight, The Founder▶ 6:10
Mark RuffaloIMDb ↗Lb ↗29Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Ryen RussilloSpotlight, The Kids Are All Right, The Avengers▶ 13:49
Tom HanksIMDb ↗Lb ↗12Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, Chris RyanCast Away, Big, Forrest Gump▶ 1:23:17
Billy CrudupIMDb ↗Lb ↗11Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Ryen RussilloAlmost Famous, Watchmen, The Good Shepherd▶ 21:47
Rachel McAdamsIMDb ↗Lb ↗11Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, Chris RyanThe Notebook, Mean Girls, Red Eye▶ 16:14
John SlatteryIMDb ↗Lb ↗10Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Ryen RussilloSpotlight, Ant-Man, The Adjustment Bureau▶ 23:16
Liev SchreiberIMDb ↗Lb ↗9Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, Chris RyanSpotlight, The Manchurian Candidate▶ 15:03
Matt DamonIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Ryen RussilloGood Will Hunting, The Martian, The Departed▶ 23:16
Stanley TucciIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Ryen RussilloSpotlight▶ 21:47
Cole HauserIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Ryen Russillo, Bill SimmonsDazed and Confused, Good Will Hunting▶ 1:08:20
Jimmy LeBlancIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Ryen Russillo, Chris RyanGone Baby Gone, Spotlight▶ 18:45
Patrick SwayzeIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill SimmonsDirty Dancing, Ghost, Point Break▶ 18:42

Writers Referenced (2)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Tom McCarthyIMDb ↗Lb ↗11Ryen Russillo, Bill Simmons▶ 12:16
Adam McKayIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Ryen RussilloDon't Look Up, The Other Guys▶ 13:20