'Win Win' Director Tom McCarthy To Helm 'All The President's Men' Style Catholic Church Sex Scandal Drama

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by Kevin Jagernauth
October 18, 2012 4:42 PM
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With the Jerry Sandusky verdict still in recent memory, and Boy Scouts finally releasing their decades worth of evidence of abuse within the organization, sexual exploitation of minors is sadly still at the forefront of the nation's concerns. But perhaps what blew the doors off in terms of exposing the depths of these crimes, and willingness of trusted officials to cover them up, was the revelation nearly a decade ago that the diocese was protecting priests accused of horrific abuses. And that story is now being given the big screen treatment.

"Win Win" director Tom McCarthy and writer Josh Singer ("The West Wing," "Fringe") are teaming up for the film that has already been in the works under the radar for a year now. The movie is described as an "All The President's Men"-style drama that will center on the journalists at the Boston Globe -- Michael Rezendes, Sacha Pfeiffer and Matt Carroll, Spotlight Team Editor Walter "Robby" Robinson, Special Projects Editor Ben Bradlee Jr. and Globe Editor Marty Baron (their life rights have been obtained) -- who discovered and exposed that Cardinal Bernard Law, America's Senior Catholic Prelate, was protecting priests accused of assault, by moving them to different parishes, where they offended again. The reports (which you can read here) won a Pulitzer Prize in 2003.

This is certainly extraordinarily sensitive material, but these guys seem to be the right ones to take it on, and while it's probably the most serious subject McCarthy has worked on, he showed a remarkable nuance and grace in dealing with immigration in "The Visitor." There is no start date yet, but this one is already gaining buzz as one unnamed A-list star is apparently interested. A tough topic certainly, but one with potential for riveting, heartbreaking cinema. [Variety]

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