Movie Review - “Doubt”
*** STARS
“Doubt” is the film adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize winning John Patrick Shanley stage play “Doubt: A Parable”. The movie version was written and directed by Shanley and produced by Scott Rudin, the film stars 2008 Best Actress Oscar Nominee Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Best Supporting Actress Nominees Amy Adams & Viola Davis. The whole cast of “Doubt” gives emotionally charged performances that are just plain riveting to watch. The recognition this film has received from the Academy this year in the acting categories is much deserved.
“Doubt” takes place in 1964 at St. Nicholas Catholic School in the Bronx, New York. Seymour Hoffman plays Father Flynn a charismatic priest who is trying to upend the schools’ strict customs. Streep plays the cold and hard edged Sister Aloysius who sets off on a personal crusade to expunge Flynn from the school. Sister Aloysius grows suspicious when Father Flynn begins taking too much interest in the life of a new young black student. Is she being overly protective or not protective enough? This is the main catalyst of the film, and it keeps you conflicted up until the films final moments.
Even though “Doubt” takes place in the late 60’s it’s themes and controversial subject matter is more relevant than ever. Like the title suggests this film is constantly making the viewers doubt their own instincts and question their own faith in what they believe to be true. We never get a clear cut picture of who is telling the truth and who is really the “bad guy” in this story. When the film finishes we are left with more questions than answers.
In the end I found “Doubt” to be an impressively directed drama with a gripping script and a pair of powerhouse performances from Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, though the ending did prove to be very frustrating. The film does not make the most of what ought to be rather frightening and ultimately moving material. “Doubt” could have been a better film but I have absolutely no qualms about saying that it could not possibly have been better performed.
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