By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: John Patrick Shanley
Starring: Amy Adams | Meryl Streep | Philip Seymour Hoffman | Viola Davis
Country: united_states
Year: 2008
Running time: 104
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0918927/
Michael says: “It’s probably a good thing that playwright John Patrick Shanley wrote and directed the movie adaptation of his acclaimed play Doubt. While another filmmaker might have made a better movie, Shanley’s film certainly recaptures the power and drama of the stage play. Surely he found a quartet of actors that enabled him to essentially bring his play to the big screen without having to do much finagling (although I can only assume that because I didn’t see the original.) Who but Meryl Streep could hope to bring the role originated on stage by Cherry Jones to the big screen? I can only imagine that Jones interpreted Sister Aloysius differently, but Streep certainly commands the screen. And who but Philip Seymour Hoffman could have possibly held up against Streep’s draconian nun convinced that Hoffman’s Father Flynn has entered into an inappropriate relationship with an African American teenager in an early 1960’s Catholic school? Impossibly fine support is given by Amy Adams, whose career is only going to grow by leaps and bounds, and Viola Davis who knocks it out of the park in her sole 12 minutes on screen with Streep. (It’s great to see Davis get some critical recognition after years of strong work in film and television.)
“What makes DOUBT so special, even when it’s veering over the top with a little scenery chewing in the confrontational scenes between Streep and Hoffman, is that the actors are so good, and the screenplay so elegant that it’s always a joy to watch. The subject matter of the film is almost irrelevant; I felt like I was enjoying a staged performance and was thrilled by the words and actions being performed for me. There were a few minor intrusive moments when Shanley felt he had to throw in some moments to remind us we were watching a movie. (This was only Shanley’s second directorial effort, and was surely an improvement over his first, JOE AND THE VOLCANO). 4 cats”
Bruce says: “When I saw ‘Doubt’ on stage, I turned to a friend and said ‘This is the reason I moved to New York.’ Fearful that the essence of the play would get lost on film, I am pleased to report that the film holds its own marvelously. The Pulitzer Prize winning play’s cast was first rate: Cherry Jones, Brian F. O’Byrne, Heather Goldenhersch, and Adriane Lenox each of whom received a Tony nomination. None of the four made the transition to the screen. While the change in cast works well, the vitality of the play has not transferred to the screen. If my memory is correct, much of the dialogue has been trimmed for the film. Instead, details are added to paint a more complete picture. Classroom scenes involving the children give the film version a depth and credibility that the play lacked. A trade-off. The joy of both versions is the mental gymnastics that the story triggers.
“The action takes place in the Bronx where Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep) is head of the church school attached to St. Nicholas where Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is priest. She is the type of nun who believes that authoritarian rule is the only way to develop character. Empathy is non-existent in her world and sympathy is not allowed. Early on, we see her admonishing Sister James (Amy Adams), an earnestly devoted novice. Sister James is way too lenient and must change her ways. When Sister James tells Sister Aloysius that she has observed Father Flynn acting strangely with Donald Miller (Joseph Foster), the only black boy in the school, Sister Aloysius suggests she watch Father Flynn more closely and report any findings immediately. Sister Aloysius is looking for evidence that confirms her suspicions that Father Flynn is a child abuser. Shortly thereafter, Sister James molds the framework for serious allegation when she reports that Father Flynn was putting Donald’s shirt in his locker; Donald returned to class with liquor on his breath; and Father Flynn was embracing Donald in the school corridor. It all adds up to pederasty.
“Sister Aloysius confronts Father Flynn who appears shocked. To no avail, he offers simple and convincing explanations for all of Sister James’ curious sightings. Misjudging his adversary’s commitment to her cause he successfully befriends Sister James. Meanwhile Sister Aloysius has decided to meet with Donald’s mother (Viola Davis) who pleads with Sister Aloysius to ‘let things be’ so that her son may finish school without beatings form his father and from the likes of the gangs at public schools. Without spelling things out, she implies that the lesser of two evils is Father Flynn. Sister Aloysius will not be deterred by such reasoning and she proceeds to confront Father Flynn with damning evidence.
“DOUBT is a morality tale about deep seeded conviction based on intuition (Sister Aloysius prefers the term ‘experience’) rather than knowledge and fact. Meryl Streep, famous for her attention to detail, has nailed down her Bronx accent and, as an actor, she embraces the odious nature of her character with open arms. The other performances are strong; it is particularly exhilarating to see Amy Adams emerging as a major talent. 4 cats”