One thing is for certain about director Tom McCarthy — he’s been very diverse, which makes him a bit unpredictable. His most recent film was the laughably, inconceivably awful The Cobbler, starring Adam Sandler. But prior to that he made acclaimed films like The Station Agent and Win Win. With that little Adam Sandler hiccup behind us now, we’re free to look forward to Spotlight, a new drama featuring an excellent ensemble cast and some very serious subject matter. Best of all: no magic shoes.

The first trailer for Spotlight has arrived, promising — if nothing else — a great character piece for the actors involved. Rachel McAdams, Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo and more co-star in the film, which follows the investigation of a Catholic priest for abusing children. That’s sadly familiar subject matter by now, but the film seems to be carried by the performances of its impressive ensemble. Hopefully they can transcend that familiarity and turn it into something more compelling.

Starring Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schrieber, Brian D’Arcy James and Stanley Tucci, SPOTLIGHT tells the riveting true story of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Boston Globe investigation that would rock the city and cause a crisis in one of the world’s oldest and most trusted institutions. When the newspaper’s tenacious “Spotlight” team of reporters delve into allegations of abuse in the Catholic Church, their year-long investigation uncovers a decades-long cover-up at the highest levels of Boston’s religious, legal, and government establishment, touching off a wave of revelations around the world. Directed by Academy Award-nominee Thomas McCarthy, SPOTLIGHT is a tense investigative thriller, tracing the steps to one of the biggest crime stories in modern times.

Spotlight also stars Stanley Tucci, Liev Schreiber and Billy Crudup, and hits theaters on November 5.

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