Doubt Review

Posted by Chad Webb on 12.16.2008

I have no doubts that this was a fine film.

Meryl Streep: Sister Aloysius Beauvier
Philip Seymour Hoffman: Father Brendan Flynn
Amy Adams: Sister James
Viola Davis: Mrs. Miller
Alice Drummond: Sister Veronica
Audrie Neenan: Sister Raymond
Susan Blommaert: Mrs. Carson
Written/Directed By: John Patrick Shanley
Release Date: December 12, 2008
Running Time: 104 minutes







Rated PG-13 for thematic material.

After Father Brendan Flynn knows that Sister James and Sister Aloysius have accused him of inappropriate acts with student Donald Miller, he steps before his congregation for another mass. During this particular instance, his sermon is aimed at certain parties. He unleashes an unforgettable story about a woman who felt guilty for gossiping, and by the time the sermon has finished, everyone inside the church has their eyes locked on Father Flynn, and are aware that this is no ordinary sermon. Most of them have no idea what it meant to him, but Sister Aloysius and Sister James definitely do, and the message was delivered loud and clear. This is one of many penetrating scenes delivered by the remarkable cast in Doubt. Everything about this drama spells powerful, and for good reason.

The film was written and directed by John Patrick Shanley, the same man who penned the original play it is based upon. This is his first time at the helm since 1990's Joe Versus the Volcano. He won an Oscar for his screenwriting on Moonstruck. He obviously has talent, yet his contributions have been sparse for the last 18 years. Hopefully the public response to Doubt is evidence enough for Shanley to stay around a bit longer. As a matter of fact, Shanley deserves both praise and criticism for his work on this adaptation of Doubt. His dialogue is exhilarating and brilliant, and is conveyed in top-form by some of the finest actors alive today. However, his inexperience as a filmmaker is noticeable. Nevertheless, Doubt is a wonderful, if not perfect achievement.

The setting is 1964, the Saint Nicholas Church School located in the Bronx. Christmas is approaching fast. Father Brendan Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) presides over the school, while Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep) acts as the principal. She is a strict disciplinarian, and sees the rules being broken anywhere she can. One of her teachers, Sister James (Amy Adams), is relatively new, much happier in demeanor, and more lenient than Sister Aloysius or any of the other nuns for that matter. A problem arises when Sister James observes suspicious behavior from Father Flynn and black student Donald Miller. She reports this to Sister Aloysius, who immediately suspects that Father Flynn is engaged in an improper relationship with Donald. Sister Aloysius confronts him, while Sister James and Donald’s mother (Viola Davis) are caught in the cross fire. What type of man is Father Flynn? Sister Aloysius is certain of his actions, but are they true?

Doubt is elevated to the upper echelon due to the caliber of performers on hand. Without them, the picture would be dismissed. At this point, any sentence describing the genius of Meryl Streep would require a deliberate use of a critic cliché. The real question is, what can’t she accomplish on screen? As Sister Aloysius, Streep is unwavering, ferocious, and just amazing in every conceivable way. Because I know she will return with additional turns worth admiring, I won’t exhaust all the normal one-liners seen on the trailers and TV spots. No matter what the character entails, Streep absorbs every possible detail in order to serve up the best effort.

Marveling at two heavyweights like Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman going toe to toe is like a film aficionado's dream come true. Seymour Hoffman has no trouble holding his own as Father Brendan Flynn. Their concluding showdown is one for the history books. The key to both roles is pulling the audience back and forth in terms of who is right and who is wrong. Convincing is not a big enough word to express these two. Seymour Hoffman is confident and resilient, but like Matt Damon in The Talented Mr. Ripley, there is something about him that causes viewers to be skeptical.

Amy Adams may be typecast as the sweet and innocent nun, but Adams proves that the part contains more depth than what initial impressions exude. As Sister James, she is the person we sympathize most with because in a sense, we are her. As an audience member, one is balancing the arguments, mannerisms, expressions, and subtleties just like she is. Adams has the ability to induce smiles even when she portrays a nun, and that is talent. Viola Davis, although only in the movie for a short period, makes her presence memorable with a gut wrenching depiction of Mrs. Miller, the mother of Donald who unveils key information to the situation.

Without the sharp, rapid-fire script afforded by John Patrick Shanley, Doubt would have no legs to stand on. However, if the direction was given to someone with even the slightest bit of panache, but definitely more familiarity of the field, Doubt could have been an easy masterpiece. Instead, the uncoordinated editing during some sequences, and the fact that the narrative feels stretched to obtain a suitable running time, reveals minor flaws. The amount of resolution and closure for the ending will frustrate some and fascinate others. Without spoiling anything further, I landed somewhere in the center of dissatisfaction and absolute approval.

Doubt is one of the juiciest films of the decade to sit and discuss in a group. We live in an era where priests are presumed guilty for abusing children almost automatically when accused, so listening to various opinions would be highly interesting. Conversely, the year of the story shows that priests were trusted unconditionally. A great deal of information has surfaced since then. I suppose this is the finest possible fictional film on this topic. Recurring images of the unbelievable documentary Deliver Us From Evil popped into my head as Doubt progressed. Comparing the two might not seem fair, but it is inevitable. To be honest, as masterful as the documentary is, it makes reaching the peak of the mountain that much harder for Doubt.

Not often do I regret not consulting the source for a film version of a book, play, or other medium, but in the case of Doubt, I wish I had the opportunity to see the play prior to purchasing my ticket for the movie. From research, Shanley made small, but crucial alterations to the screenplay. While Doubt is not 100% absent of errors, what lingers are the performances, and how passionately each member of the cast tackles their respective roles. This is the most superbly acted drama of the year, and I cannot shake it from my memory.