Doubt (DVD, 2009)

In 1964 a Catholic elementary school has just admitted its first Black student, a 12-year-old boy transferred from public school. The principal, a rigid disciplinarian nun, and the liberal parish priest are both concerned for the boy's welfare in a predominantly Irish/Italian school. The nun Meryl Streep becomes convinced that the priest has (or is planning to have) an improper relationship with the child and is determined to force him to leave the school. Not only was the relationship improper, but it was still illegal, yet much harder to prove since various stigmas are attached to such behavior. A third compassionate person is the boy's mother, who has another point of view. The fourth person is Sister James (Amy Adams), a young teacher who is concerned but confused by the conflict between the nun and the priest.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman effectively keeps us guessing as to the honesty and integrity of the character he is now playing. He never tips his hat one way or the other as to what might be going on in his own head. Amy Adams makes a compelling stand-in for those of us in the audience who are trying to reserve judgment on these two characters before all the facts are revealed. Special notice needs to be given about the role of Mrs. Miller (Viola Davis) who adamantly opposes any confrontation as the bad intentions of Father Flynn and her son. Her performance is brief yet unforgettable. The unsettling news that her son may have been the victim of a sexual predator seems to chill her to the bone.

Although Natalie Portman declined the role of Sister James, Amy Adams was a real breath of fresh air. She is not overly reserved, yet not too bashful either. I think Adams was chosen for this role predominately due to her innocent portrayal of Sister James. When I looked at her, I happen to see the most innocent person possible. But in addition to her reserve, she is also very poised in a cute way. I think I had to add the cute because this is something we usually use to describe only children who are innocent. However, Adams is a young lady who also appears very innocent, which is why I thought the calling her cute here is way necessary.

The director allows the viewer to make up his own mind as to whether the supposed event actually ever happened or not. In the end, it was the lying sister that brought the priest down to his knees. She lies about the phone calls inquiring into his other past positions within the church and plays it close to the cuff, insinuating that she knows why he has quickly been swished away to another position to keep things hush-hush. She holds her composure and bluffs her way into her own version of the truth, yet lying to get to truth is the worst lie, in my opinion. We have to assume that he is indeed guilty, since the entire film is centered around the subject of the the film. Just as he did with the play, John Patrick Shanley, the playwright, only told the actor who played Father Flynn whether or not Flynn was guilty. None of the other actors knew.

A funny note on the subject of parts is that both Meryl Streep and Amy Adams played nuns in this film, but the two actresses had also played less celibate characters in previous movies. Amy Adams' character had three boyfriends in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008), as did Meryl Streep's in Mamma Mia! (2008). After "Doubt", Meryl Streep reunited with Amy Adams in Julie & Julia again in 2009.

This film gets 4/5 from me because its editing & conciseness.

"Doubt" will literally blow you away with its pertinent story and the great performances of all its actors!

Meryl Streep has to be mentioned first, as her performance of Sister Aloysius is over the top! She adopts a stern Yankee accent to emphasize her role as the principal of St. Nicholas School, and even in 1964 she is alert to the possibility of a pedophile priest on the premises. She seems to suspect Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) even before there is even a whisper of any impropriety. When the movie opens, he is delivering a sermon on the emotion of doubt being just as strong as the emotion of certainty, while Sister is straightening out the behavior of all the children in the church.

But as the movie weaves along, there is a strong wind of something blowing. Since there is a new black 8th grade male student in the school, Sister James (Amy Adams) reports to Sister Aloysius an incident in which Father Flynn has requested the boy to come from class to the rectory. When the boy returns, he is moody and has the smell of alcohol on his breath.

A determined Sister Aloysius will not let the incident alone. She confronts Father Flynn, reports it to the boy's mother (Viola Davis), and has a final showdown with Father Flynn.

But Sister has a strong adversary in Father Flynn. He firmly denies any wrongdoing and continues to shower attention and love on the boy, who is obviously the target of some taunts from the other students. Father delivers another sermon on gossip and how it is impossible to stop it once it starts. He accuses Sister Aloysius of intolerance and does his best to explain the situation to Sister James, who is very sympathetic.

You will be blown away by the results of all of this and by the conclusion to the movie. You will also be treated to some very special features on this DVD, and will meet the real Sister James, who was a consultant on the movie. She was the first grade teacher of John Patrick Shanley, who wrote the original play that was a Tony-winning hit on Broadway and then the screenplay for this movie.

This movie had multiple Oscar nominations but won none: Meryl Streep (Best Actress), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Best Supporting Actor), Amy Adams (Best Supporting Actress), Viola Davis (Best Supporting Actress), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Shanley).

This is a viewing treat for all, but especially for us baby boomers who were students in Catholic schools when the schools were run by all nuns.

This is a fantastic film filled with intrigue and suspense. It may not be 'action-packed' but Seymour-Hoffman and Streep keep you at the edge of your seat all the way to the end. The film was directed by the playwright himself, which made for a brilliant piece, for after all, the director had a deep and intimate understanding of the story and how it ought to be told. This is a very intelligent film and one that I shall undoubtedly (forgive the pun...) continue to revisit.

Sister Aloysius begins to have doubts about doting priest Father Flynn, who seems to have become overly involved in the life of a young African American pupil. But Flynn isn't the only one she doubts. Is she overreacting to the situation, or is there truth behind her convictions?

Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams

The acting within this movie was excellent, and the plot was something that can relate to anyone. Here you have a nun that suspects a priest of one of the most horrible crimes ever. She takes it upon herself to see to it that this priest no longer resides near her or the kids that partake into the school...She goes as far as one would to try to see that justice is serviced even though she has doubts she trys to make sure that her mind and the school is saved from this wondering priest. Great story and one that always leaves some in doubt as to what they might do in such a situation.