Spotlight (I) (2015)

Mark Ruffalo: Mike Rezendes

Photos 

Quotes 

• Mike Rezendes : We got Law. This is it.

  Walter 'Robby' Robinson : No, this is Law covering for one priest, there's another ninety out there.

  Mike Rezendes : Yeah, and we'll print that story when we get it, but we got to go with this now.

  Walter 'Robby' Robinson : No, I'm not going to rush this story, Mike.

  Mike Rezendes : We don't have a choice, Robby. If we don't rush to print, somebody else is going to find these letters and butcher this story. Joe Quimby from the Herald was at the freaking courthouse!

  Walter 'Robby' Robinson : Mike.

  Mike Rezendes : What? Why are we hesitating? Baron told us to get Law. This is Law.

  Walter 'Robby' Robinson : Baron told us to get the system. We need the full scope. That's the only thing that will put an end to this.

  Mike Rezendes : Then let's take it up to Ben and let him decide.

  Walter 'Robby' Robinson : We'll take it to Ben when I say it's time.

  Mike Rezendes : It's time, Robby! It's time! They knew and they let it happen! To KIDS! Okay? It could have been you, it could have been me, it could have been any of us. We gotta nail these scumbags! We gotta show people that nobody can get away with this; Not a priest, or a cardinal or a freaking pope!

• Mike Rezendes : [from trailer]  Six percent is 90.

  Walter 'Robby' Robinson : 90 priests?

  Ben Bradlee Jr. : If there were 90 of these bastards, people would know.

  Mike Rezendes : Maybe they do.

• Mike Rezendes : Mitch, are you telling me that the Catholic Church removed legal documents from that courthouse?

  Mitchell Garabedian : Look, I'm not crazy, I'm not paranoid. I'm experienced. Check the docket. You'll see. They control everything.

• Mike Rezendes : [from trailer]  They knew and they let it happen! It could've been you, it could've been me, it could've been any of us.

• Mitchell Garabedian : I'm Armenian. How many Armenians do you know in Boston ?

  Mike Rezendes : Steve Kurkjian, works at the Globe...

  Mitchell Garabedian : Oh. That's two. You should get a prize or something.

• Mike Rezendes : [from trailer]  I know there's things you cannot tell people. But I also know there's a story here people will hear about it.

• Mike Rezendes : Do you still go to mass?

  Richard Sipe : No, I haven't been to church for some time now but I still consider myself a Catholic.

  Mike Rezendes : How does that work?

  Richard Sipe : The Church is an institution, Mike, made of men. It's passing. My faith is in the eternal. I try to separate the two.

• Mitchell Garabedian : I already talked to the Phoenix.

  Mike Rezendes : Yeah, there's a reason I didn't see it. Nobody reads a Phoenix anymore... they're broke, they don't have any power. The Globe does. If we cover the story, everybody will hear about it.

  Mitchell Garabedian : The Church thinks in centuries, Mr. Rezendes. Do you think your paper has resources to take that on?

  Mike Rezendes : Yeah, I do. But if you don't mind me asking... Do you?

• Mike Rezendes : [Robby and Mike enter the office]  Hey, Linda. It's quiet, huh?

  Linda : Yeah. Easiest overtime I ever made. Phone hasn't rung once. Marty sent two of mine down to Spotlight.

  Linda : [Robby and Mike head to the Spotlight office]  Great article, guys.

• Mitchell Garabedian : Three years ago I get a call from an ex-priest, Anthony Benzovich. He was at Blessed Sacrament back in '62, and he saw Geoghan...

  [waits for two cops to pass by, then continues] 

  Mitchell Garabedian : ... taking little boys up to the rectory bedroom. So he's appalled, all right? And tells the bishop about it. The bishop threatens to re-assign him... to South America.

  Mike Rezendes : Jesus.

  Mike Rezendes : Yeah. So, fast forward thirty-five years. Benzovich reads that Geoghan has been charged with molesting hundreds of kids. So, he feels guilty. He calls me.

  Mike Rezendes : So, you have testimony of a priest telling his superiors about Geoghan in '62?

  Mitchell Garabedian : [shakes his head]  No, I do not. Because when I call Benzovich in to give a disposition, he comes in with a lawyer.

  Mike Rezendes : Wilson Rogers!

  Mitchell Garabedian : Right. And suddenly, Father Benzovich has a very foggy memory. Can't remember anything. He's useless. So, I go back to work, I forget about it, whatever. Until about a year ago, I find an article about a priest who warned church officials about Geoghan.

  Mike Rezendes : Benzovich went to the press?

  Mitchell Garabedian : Yeah. Local paper, Patriot-Ledger. Nobody saw it. But now I got Benzovich on record. So, I file a motion to depose Benzovich a second time. And Wilson Rogers, that smug son of a bitch, files a motion opposing my motion. And that's when I have him.

  Mike Rezendes : Have him how?

  Mitchell Garabedian : Rogers opposes my motion, so I have to make an argument as to why I'm allowed to depose Father Benzovich a second time. Okay? But this time, I'm allowed to attach exhibits. You follow what I'm saying?

  Mike Rezendes : The sealed documents?

  Mitchell Garabedian : Yes! I can attach the sealed documents that I've gotten in discovery, Mr. Rezendes, the same documents your paper is currently suing for.

  Mike Rezendes : You're shitting me!

  Mitchell Garabedian : What? No, no, I'm not shitting you! So, I pull out the fourteen most damning docs, and I attach them to my motion. And they prove everything. Everything! About the church, about the bishops, about Law...

  Mike Rezendes : And it's all public! Because your motion to oppose Rogers' motion...

  Mitchell Garabedian : ...is public, yeah. Exactly. Now you're paying attention.

  Mike Rezendes : So, I can just walk into that courtroom right now and get those documents?

  Mitchell Garabedian : No, you cannot. Because the documents are not there.

  Mike Rezendes : But you just said they're public.

  Mitchell Garabedian : I know I did. But this is Boston. And the church does not want them to be found. So, they are not there.

• Walter 'Robby' Robinson : [as Mike and Matt enter Baron's office]  Anything?

  Mike Rezendes : Law just turned us down.

  Ben Bradlee Jr. : Jesus Christ!

  Mike Rezendes : I just got off the phone with Donna Morrissey. She said, quote, "We don't even want to know what the questions are," end quote.

  Walter 'Robby' Robinson : She really said that?

  Mike Rezendes : Yeah!

  Ben Bradlee Jr. : Well, that ought to do it.

  Marty Baron : [as he writes it in the draft]  "The church had no interest in knowing what The Globe's questions would be." Work it in somewhere before the jump. Anything else?

• Mike Rezendes : Holy shit.

  Matt Carroll : Robby.

  Sacha Pfeiffer : That's three off Sipe's estimate. That's incredible.

  Mike Rezendes : Robby.

  Walter 'Robby' Robinson : How many?

  Matt Carroll : 87.

  Mike Rezendes : 87 priests in Boston.

  Walter 'Robby' Robinson : Call Macleish. I wanna talk to him.

• Mike Rezendes : I don't know why I got so pissed off. You know, I think Robby's wrong.

  Sacha Pfeiffer : You know, you're just... you care about the story, Mike. We all do.

  Mike Rezendes : Yeah, I guess.

  Sacha Pfeiffer : Hmm. I stopped going to church with my nana. I-It was... it was too hard. I... you know, I'd be sitting there, and I-I would start thinking about Joe Crowley or someone else, and I just... I just got so angry.

  Mike Rezendes : Did you... did you tell her why?

  Sacha Pfeiffer : [shaking her head]  She goes to church three times a week, Mike.

  Mike Rezendes : It really pisses me off. You know, I actually really liked going to church when I was a little kid.

  Sacha Pfeiffer : Mmm. Why'd you stop?

  Mike Rezendes : Typical shit. But the weird thing is is... I think I... think I figured that maybe one day, I w... I... I would atually go back. I was really... I was holding on to that.

  Sacha Pfeiffer : Mm-hmm.

  Mike Rezendes : I read those letters, and... and it... and something just... cracked.

  Sacha Pfeiffer : It's a shitty feeling.

  Mike Rezendes : Yeah. It's a shitty feeling.

• Mike Rezendes : Robby, it's incredible. Law knew about Geoghan for years, no question. There's a letter to Law from a woman, Margaret Gallant, who lived in Jamaica Plain in the early '80s when Geoghan was there. Listen to this. "Our family is rooted in the Church. Our desire is to protect the Holy Orders, even in the midst of our agony over the seven boys in our family who have been violated." Seven, Robby. Seven boys. "It was suggested we keep silent. We did not question the authority of the Church two years ago. But since Father Geoghan is still in his parish..." But she sent it to Law and Law did shit. Here's another to Law, same year. Listen to this. "A word on the recent assignment of Father Geoghan as an associate at St. Julia's in Weston. Father Geoghan has a history of homosexual involvement with young boys. I understand his recent departure from St. Brendan's may be related to this problem. I wonder if Father Geoghan should not be reduced to just weekend work while receiving some kind of therapy. You know how grateful I am to you for your constant concern. Sincerely yours in our Lord, Most Reverend John M D'Arcy, auxiliary bishop of Boston. December 7, 1984."

  Matt Carroll : An auxiliary bishop wrote that?

  Mike Rezendes : Right.

  Sacha Pfeiffer : That's incredible. He broke ranks. I mean, w-when did Gallant write her letter?

  Mike Rezendes : 1984.

  Sacha Pfeiffer : And Law just ignored it?

  Matt Carroll : How do you ignore that freaking letter?

• Mike Rezendes : You're not gonna believe it. Garabedian gave me a tip. Some of the sealed docs are already public. They're part of a motion he filed. He said they're the best of the bunch. We don't have to wait for Sweeny's ruling.

  Walter 'Robby' Robinson : So, we can get them?

  Mike Rezendes : Yeah, but they're not there. Already talked to Albano. He said all we have to do is a file a motion, and Sweeny will order Mitch to re-file the docs.

  Walter 'Robby' Robinson : And you think these documents are...

  Mike Rezendes : He said these fourteen docs are all we need. They're huge.

  Walter 'Robby' Robinson : Okay. I'll call Ben. Good work.

• Ben Bradlee Jr. : 90 fucking priests. In Boston?

  Walter 'Robby' Robinson : That's what he said.

  Ben Bradlee Jr. : If there were 90 of these bastards, people would know.

  Mike Rezendes : Maybe they do.

  Ben Bradlee Jr. : And no one said a thing?

  Mike Rezendes : Good Germans?

  Ben Bradlee Jr. : I don't think that's a comparison you want to make publicly.

• Mike Rezendes : So, just ignore those guys?

  Walter 'Robby' Robinson : I think we got to start ignoring everybody on this one.

  Mike Rezendes : I'm good at that.

• Matt Carroll : I've been through a lot of these. 'Sick leave' isn't the only designation they use when they take one of these priests out of circulation. They use a slew of terms - 'absent on leave,' 'unassigned,' 'emergency response.'

  Mike Rezendes : They got a name for everything, these guys.

  Sacha Pfeiffer : Except rape.