Doubt
Meryl Streep (Actor), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Actor), John Patrick Shanley (Director, Writer) Rated:
PG-13 Format: DVD
4.6 out of 5 stars 2,078 ratings
IMDb7.5/10.0
Genre Mystery & Thrillers
Format Multiple Formats, AC-3, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen
Contributor Amy Adams, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Alice Drummond, Meryl Streep, Mike Roukis, Nora Skinner, Audrie Neenan, Scott Rudin, Susan Blommaert, John Costelloe, Celia D. Costas, Carrie Preston, Dylan Tichenor, Viola Davis, Mark Roybal, Joseph Foster, Lloyd Clay Brown, John Patrick Shanley, Roger DeakinsAmy Adams, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Alice Drummond, Meryl Streep, Mike Roukis, Nora Skinner, Audrie Neenan, Scott Rudin, Susan Blommaert, John Costelloe, Celia D. Costas, Carrie Preston, Dylan Tichenor, Viola Davis, Mar… See more
Language English
Runtime 1 hour and 44 minutes
--------------
Product Description
Based on the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play, Doubt is a mesmerizing, suspense-filled drama with riveting performances from Meryl Streep, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis that will have you pinned to the edge of your seat.
Sister Aloysius Beauvier(Streep), the rigid and fear-inspiring principal of the Saint Nicholas Church School, suffers an extreme dislike for the progressive and popular parish priest Father Flynn(Hoffman).
Looking for wrongdoing in every corner, Sister Aloysius believes she's uncovered the ultimate sin when she fears Father Flynn has taken a special interest in a troubled boy.
But without proof, the only thing certain is doubt.
Product details
Aspect Ratio : 1.85:1
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
MPAA rating : PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
Product Dimensions : 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 3.02 Ounces
Item model number : MRML44649DVD
Director : John Patrick Shanley
Media Format : Multiple Formats, AC-3, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen
Run time : 1 hour and 44 minutes
Release date : April 26, 2011
Actors : Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis, Alice Drummond
Producers : Celia D. Costas, Mark Roybal, Nora Skinner, Scott Rudin
Studio : Lionsgate
ASIN : B004SIP71M
Writers : John Patrick Shanley
Number of discs : 1Best Sellers Rank: #79,448 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)#6,181 in Mystery & Thrillers (Movies & TV)
#16,310 in Drama DVDsCustomer Reviews:
4.6 out of 5 stars 2,078 ratings
====
Customer reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
Top reviews from the United States
Bob Young
5.0 out of 5 stars Very fine acting and the story in compelling. Actually, marvelous, and worth the time.Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2019
Verified Purchase
I was Catholic at the time period of this film. I was a victim of child molestation (first degree). I went to school at the catholic school on the property of the church. The convent was just a few feet away from one of the school's main double doors. I had nuns as teachers. One of the nuns conspired with this priest, my perpetrator, to make me available to this priest that was a monster.
Product details
Aspect Ratio : 1.85:1
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
MPAA rating : PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
Product Dimensions : 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 3.02 Ounces
Item model number : MRML44649DVD
Director : John Patrick Shanley
Media Format : Multiple Formats, AC-3, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen
Run time : 1 hour and 44 minutes
Release date : April 26, 2011
Actors : Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis, Alice Drummond
Producers : Celia D. Costas, Mark Roybal, Nora Skinner, Scott Rudin
Studio : Lionsgate
ASIN : B004SIP71M
Writers : John Patrick Shanley
Number of discs : 1Best Sellers Rank: #79,448 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)#6,181 in Mystery & Thrillers (Movies & TV)
#16,310 in Drama DVDsCustomer Reviews:
4.6 out of 5 stars 2,078 ratings
====
Customer reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
Top reviews from the United States
Bob Young
5.0 out of 5 stars Very fine acting and the story in compelling. Actually, marvelous, and worth the time.Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2019
Verified Purchase
I was Catholic at the time period of this film. I was a victim of child molestation (first degree). I went to school at the catholic school on the property of the church. The convent was just a few feet away from one of the school's main double doors. I had nuns as teachers. One of the nuns conspired with this priest, my perpetrator, to make me available to this priest that was a monster.
A few corrections as to the movie. No nun was anything like Meryl Streep. Most certainly not the principal. My guess is that no Liturgist or actual priest pitched in on this movie. The Altar is facing out and toward the people. Until 1965 - 66 the Altar's faced the back wall. All of them. Every Mass was in Latin.
No African American child would have been within miles of the campus. Never mind going to school with the kids. I lived near the Church/school/convent campus. Four houses away.
The neighborhood was working-class Italian/Irish. We kids looked just like the ones in this movie. Even the dance class. I wish to hell I had a lookout such as Streep's character to help me avoid further abuse.
Streep is one of the best actresses I've ever seen. She shines in this flick. Phillip Seymour Hoffman, though he's passed on, also was at the top of his form. The fact that he was made a Pastor at his next assignment doesn't quite fit. Seems like a New England setting. My school was in New England.
Winter is rolling in. Streep is the only one on the cast to master the accent. Boston, I'd say. I believe Hoffman's character did it. But, I have an ax to grind you might say. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Other than the inauthenticity of the sets and placements it was a fine movie. Highly recommended.
Btw, I am still a Catholic. Believe it or not.
20 people found this helpful
HelpfulReport abuse
ZK
5.0 out of 5 stars An incredibly powerful film. A triumph.Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2020
Verified Purchase
Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman at the absolute TOP of their game. Wow. The writing, screenplay, plot, everything--simply amazing. A sharp, profound, provocative, and heavily nuanced film. Indeed, the pearl of this movie is the nuance; one can watch it 10 times and discover something new that reshapes how one interprets the ending.
20 people found this helpful
HelpfulReport abuse
ZK
5.0 out of 5 stars An incredibly powerful film. A triumph.Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2020
Verified Purchase
Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman at the absolute TOP of their game. Wow. The writing, screenplay, plot, everything--simply amazing. A sharp, profound, provocative, and heavily nuanced film. Indeed, the pearl of this movie is the nuance; one can watch it 10 times and discover something new that reshapes how one interprets the ending.
Quite simply put, this film is a masterpiece.
One person found this helpful
HelpfulReport abuse
Gail Yarbrough
5.0 out of 5 stars A suspenseful film about possible sexual abuse.Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2018
Verified Purchase
Excellent movie, Merrill Streep did an impressive job as a Stern nun who doesn't tolerate infractions but underneath is concerned about the possible sexual abuse of one of the alter boys by the newly arrive priest. Did he do it or not? It will leave you guessing all the way to the end and perhaps even afterwards. Great acting by the supporting cast as well....I enjoyed it very much!
HelpfulReport abuse
ali
5.0 out of 5 stars Meryl Streep is everythingReviewed in the United States on May 5, 2021
Verified Purchase
I just love when she says "cutcha nails!" To the priest
HelpfulReport abuse
Carlos G. Anderson
5.0 out of 5 stars This is masterful writing from Mr. Shanley.Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2017
Verified Purchase
This is masterful writing from Mr. Shanley. The scenes are crafted with such incredible emotional nuance and with such a deft understanding of subtext. There is also a compelling thematic thread about power in hierarchical structures (in organized religion, among men and women, among adults and children, and between races) that is so vividly drawn. This is the kind of razor-sharp writing that makes it all look so easy on the surface and yet upon second look, impossibly difficult. Shanley also does an impressive job at shooting his work. There is a discerning eye for non-speaking scenes that you don't expect to come easily to a playwright.
It's almost not worth mentioning because it's an obvious compliment: but the acting talent here is overwhelming. Streep is kind of transcendently amazing, and Adams shines with a naiveté/optimism that comes easy to those big, gaping eyes of hers -- she's by turns bright and brittle. Hoffman has a very effortless delivery. The difficulty in his performance is not telegraphing the truth of the central mystery, but conveying the character's internal life. Viola Davis has a quietly powerful performance. The scene with her and Streep is disturbing and complex and one of the juicier scenes here, along with Streep's confrontation of Hoffman (which is probably the best).
HelpfulReport abuse
Janet in Jerome
5.0 out of 5 stars Doubt is well worth watchingReviewed in the United States on November 20, 2012
Verified Purchase
This is a great movie. It keeps your attention from beginning to end and it makes you really think. Meryl Streep is an amazing actress--so versatile. My husband and I decided we want to watch it again soon, because it's one of those movies that you know you'll catch more of the details the second time around. I highly recommend this!
One person found this helpful
HelpfulReport abuse
Rachel Dale
5.0 out of 5 stars Requires you to thinkReviewed in the United States on July 22, 2014
Verified Purchase
I doubt that I could have imagined Meryl Streep as a pinched old nun with a Brookly accent. This is an especially fine performance. Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance is also good, although he's got much less screen time than Streep. One of those movies that requires you to think after the film has ended; I love those.
HelpfulReport abuse
William Grey
5.0 out of 5 stars Subtle performances and screenplay. Love the cast!Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2014
Verified Purchase
Meryl Streep is a treat to watch in this alternately humorous and intense film. Philip Seymour Hoffman gives a subtle evocative performance as the priest-under-suspicion. Did he do it.... or should we even be asking? Was the evidence sufficient to question him? Amy Adams isn't sure.... either way. This one will keep you wondering to the last minute.
HelpfulReport abuse
See all reviews
Top reviews from other countries
Patricia P
5.0 out of 5 stars An unsentimental gazeReviewed in the United Kingdom on September 9, 2010
Verified Purchase
The script and acting is amazing, I felt no difficulty in immersing myself in the reality of the school. I was taught in an Irish convent school in 70s, where the boys and girls were seperately educated, so the priests had very little contact with girls the way things were organised in our town.
There is such subtlety in how Fr Flynn interacts with the boys. He is positive and encouraging, warm and snarky. Yet the boys all flinch when he thrusts his long fingernails at them. Well all except Donald Miller, the boy under observation. Fr Flynn wants to innovate, Frosty the snowman, have a camping trip. Warning bells!!! Not Frosty, but the camping trip, an ideal occasion of total access to the boys.
Donald's mum hoped that the priest was kind to her son, regardless of his motivation. That sounded cold, until she said his life was in danger if he had to return to his last school or his father thought his son's "personality" had been discovered. The cruelty in that boy's life was barely sketched, but that was a theme that played whenever Sr Aloysius had dealings with children. The children were either a problem that needed correction and they should shut up. The other teachers and nuns were far warmer.
Cue Fr Flynn cuddling Donald in the corridor... he must have felt so secure to do that, either because he was innocent, or because he was in brazenly open and despite confessing to terrible sin "would never feel true regret" in Sr Aloysius' damning phrase.
I am puzzled about why Sr James hid the most telling evidence (the undershirt returned by the priest direct into Donald's locker) - was it inexperience, that she could not infer how the shirt was in his possession? Perhaps had Sr Aloysius been cool on first hearing her fears, Sr James would have had to list all her observations, among them the shirt. When Sr Aloysius immediately jumps to conclusions without any facts, that is very worrying to Sr James who backs off.
But of course Sr Aloysius was not trying to protect a young boy; she is censorious, delighted that she has the means to get rid of Fr Flynn. She never expresses fears that he will go on to abuse other boys when he has moved on. Her Doubt, is not that she was wrong about Fr Flynn, and frankly I am with her instincts there; it may be that she feels guilt that she allowed herself the pleasure of pursuit. Recall the severity of their dinner - the gristle served as a lesson in abjecting oneself. She is not accustomed to obeying others, perhaps she must discipline herself? Where is the Mother Superior of her order? It is she who one would expect her to consult. If she was Mother, she would have been addressed as such.
I knew nuns like Sr Aloysius. Dare to cross them and they are in pursuit of you throughout your career in the school. Yet they love their community, they do good works, they run the school needing only a glance to keep order. No beatings in Sr Aloysius' school did you notice! The experience of waiting outside her office was enough to keep order. Vinegar can be overused though.
A wonderful film that will keep showing new aspects on repeated viewings.
I loved this film for its honesty, the unsentimental gaze on every one of the characters.
Read less
16 people found this helpfulReport abuse
Ozymandias
5.0 out of 5 stars OutstandingReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 12, 2016
Verified Purchase
This is a triumph on all levels. It's difficult to say too much without spoilers so I will just say this: a very intense film, Amy Adams as the innocent youngster, that sees the good in people and hates confrontation, does a good job. But Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman are as good in this as they have ever been in anything, as the two main characters..........a heavyweight boxing match and it's difficult to call how it will turn out until the last 20 minutes. It's about "Doubt" and "certainty" and constantly the viewer is challenged as to what to "doubt" for the whole film.
Edge-of-the-seat which stands as testament to the cleverness of the script and the power of the two performances. Outstanding.
3 people found this helpfulReport abuse
Ian22
5.0 out of 5 stars An almost perfect film.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 10, 2017
Verified Purchase
It's got a great cast, a story that is relevant even today, a simple but oh so clever script and tension and atmosphere that needs to be experienced. I think this is one of Meryl's best performances... she dazzles. Amy and Philip are fabulously cast and do their characters justice X1000. There are subtle innuendos that you may only see at second glance but Meryl is simply faultless and allows her character to ebb and flow from a seemingly ruthless Sister to a noble and caring woman. I love this film, it is almost the perfect film.
One person found this helpfulReport abuse
Mr. W. Greenock
5.0 out of 5 stars NO DOUBTS ABOUT 'DOUBT'
One person found this helpful
HelpfulReport abuse
Gail Yarbrough
5.0 out of 5 stars A suspenseful film about possible sexual abuse.Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2018
Verified Purchase
Excellent movie, Merrill Streep did an impressive job as a Stern nun who doesn't tolerate infractions but underneath is concerned about the possible sexual abuse of one of the alter boys by the newly arrive priest. Did he do it or not? It will leave you guessing all the way to the end and perhaps even afterwards. Great acting by the supporting cast as well....I enjoyed it very much!
HelpfulReport abuse
ali
5.0 out of 5 stars Meryl Streep is everythingReviewed in the United States on May 5, 2021
Verified Purchase
I just love when she says "cutcha nails!" To the priest
HelpfulReport abuse
Carlos G. Anderson
5.0 out of 5 stars This is masterful writing from Mr. Shanley.Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2017
Verified Purchase
This is masterful writing from Mr. Shanley. The scenes are crafted with such incredible emotional nuance and with such a deft understanding of subtext. There is also a compelling thematic thread about power in hierarchical structures (in organized religion, among men and women, among adults and children, and between races) that is so vividly drawn. This is the kind of razor-sharp writing that makes it all look so easy on the surface and yet upon second look, impossibly difficult. Shanley also does an impressive job at shooting his work. There is a discerning eye for non-speaking scenes that you don't expect to come easily to a playwright.
It's almost not worth mentioning because it's an obvious compliment: but the acting talent here is overwhelming. Streep is kind of transcendently amazing, and Adams shines with a naiveté/optimism that comes easy to those big, gaping eyes of hers -- she's by turns bright and brittle. Hoffman has a very effortless delivery. The difficulty in his performance is not telegraphing the truth of the central mystery, but conveying the character's internal life. Viola Davis has a quietly powerful performance. The scene with her and Streep is disturbing and complex and one of the juicier scenes here, along with Streep's confrontation of Hoffman (which is probably the best).
HelpfulReport abuse
Janet in Jerome
5.0 out of 5 stars Doubt is well worth watchingReviewed in the United States on November 20, 2012
Verified Purchase
This is a great movie. It keeps your attention from beginning to end and it makes you really think. Meryl Streep is an amazing actress--so versatile. My husband and I decided we want to watch it again soon, because it's one of those movies that you know you'll catch more of the details the second time around. I highly recommend this!
One person found this helpful
HelpfulReport abuse
Rachel Dale
5.0 out of 5 stars Requires you to thinkReviewed in the United States on July 22, 2014
Verified Purchase
I doubt that I could have imagined Meryl Streep as a pinched old nun with a Brookly accent. This is an especially fine performance. Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance is also good, although he's got much less screen time than Streep. One of those movies that requires you to think after the film has ended; I love those.
HelpfulReport abuse
William Grey
5.0 out of 5 stars Subtle performances and screenplay. Love the cast!Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2014
Verified Purchase
Meryl Streep is a treat to watch in this alternately humorous and intense film. Philip Seymour Hoffman gives a subtle evocative performance as the priest-under-suspicion. Did he do it.... or should we even be asking? Was the evidence sufficient to question him? Amy Adams isn't sure.... either way. This one will keep you wondering to the last minute.
HelpfulReport abuse
See all reviews
Top reviews from other countries
Patricia P
5.0 out of 5 stars An unsentimental gazeReviewed in the United Kingdom on September 9, 2010
Verified Purchase
The script and acting is amazing, I felt no difficulty in immersing myself in the reality of the school. I was taught in an Irish convent school in 70s, where the boys and girls were seperately educated, so the priests had very little contact with girls the way things were organised in our town.
There is such subtlety in how Fr Flynn interacts with the boys. He is positive and encouraging, warm and snarky. Yet the boys all flinch when he thrusts his long fingernails at them. Well all except Donald Miller, the boy under observation. Fr Flynn wants to innovate, Frosty the snowman, have a camping trip. Warning bells!!! Not Frosty, but the camping trip, an ideal occasion of total access to the boys.
Donald's mum hoped that the priest was kind to her son, regardless of his motivation. That sounded cold, until she said his life was in danger if he had to return to his last school or his father thought his son's "personality" had been discovered. The cruelty in that boy's life was barely sketched, but that was a theme that played whenever Sr Aloysius had dealings with children. The children were either a problem that needed correction and they should shut up. The other teachers and nuns were far warmer.
Cue Fr Flynn cuddling Donald in the corridor... he must have felt so secure to do that, either because he was innocent, or because he was in brazenly open and despite confessing to terrible sin "would never feel true regret" in Sr Aloysius' damning phrase.
I am puzzled about why Sr James hid the most telling evidence (the undershirt returned by the priest direct into Donald's locker) - was it inexperience, that she could not infer how the shirt was in his possession? Perhaps had Sr Aloysius been cool on first hearing her fears, Sr James would have had to list all her observations, among them the shirt. When Sr Aloysius immediately jumps to conclusions without any facts, that is very worrying to Sr James who backs off.
But of course Sr Aloysius was not trying to protect a young boy; she is censorious, delighted that she has the means to get rid of Fr Flynn. She never expresses fears that he will go on to abuse other boys when he has moved on. Her Doubt, is not that she was wrong about Fr Flynn, and frankly I am with her instincts there; it may be that she feels guilt that she allowed herself the pleasure of pursuit. Recall the severity of their dinner - the gristle served as a lesson in abjecting oneself. She is not accustomed to obeying others, perhaps she must discipline herself? Where is the Mother Superior of her order? It is she who one would expect her to consult. If she was Mother, she would have been addressed as such.
I knew nuns like Sr Aloysius. Dare to cross them and they are in pursuit of you throughout your career in the school. Yet they love their community, they do good works, they run the school needing only a glance to keep order. No beatings in Sr Aloysius' school did you notice! The experience of waiting outside her office was enough to keep order. Vinegar can be overused though.
A wonderful film that will keep showing new aspects on repeated viewings.
I loved this film for its honesty, the unsentimental gaze on every one of the characters.
Read less
16 people found this helpfulReport abuse
Ozymandias
5.0 out of 5 stars OutstandingReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 12, 2016
Verified Purchase
This is a triumph on all levels. It's difficult to say too much without spoilers so I will just say this: a very intense film, Amy Adams as the innocent youngster, that sees the good in people and hates confrontation, does a good job. But Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman are as good in this as they have ever been in anything, as the two main characters..........a heavyweight boxing match and it's difficult to call how it will turn out until the last 20 minutes. It's about "Doubt" and "certainty" and constantly the viewer is challenged as to what to "doubt" for the whole film.
Edge-of-the-seat which stands as testament to the cleverness of the script and the power of the two performances. Outstanding.
3 people found this helpfulReport abuse
Ian22
5.0 out of 5 stars An almost perfect film.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 10, 2017
Verified Purchase
It's got a great cast, a story that is relevant even today, a simple but oh so clever script and tension and atmosphere that needs to be experienced. I think this is one of Meryl's best performances... she dazzles. Amy and Philip are fabulously cast and do their characters justice X1000. There are subtle innuendos that you may only see at second glance but Meryl is simply faultless and allows her character to ebb and flow from a seemingly ruthless Sister to a noble and caring woman. I love this film, it is almost the perfect film.
One person found this helpfulReport abuse
Mr. W. Greenock
5.0 out of 5 stars NO DOUBTS ABOUT 'DOUBT'
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 17, 2012
Verified Purchase
Tired of car chases, explosions, sex, strong language etc ? Want a film that will make you think ? Well acted throughout with an unexpected (and ambiguous) ending, "Doubt" is just such a film. Movie mode gives it more ambience than the play from which it is adapted, allowing street scenes as well as interiors, but retaining the claustrophobic engagement of the leading characters to emerge undiluted. Recommended
Verified Purchase
Tired of car chases, explosions, sex, strong language etc ? Want a film that will make you think ? Well acted throughout with an unexpected (and ambiguous) ending, "Doubt" is just such a film. Movie mode gives it more ambience than the play from which it is adapted, allowing street scenes as well as interiors, but retaining the claustrophobic engagement of the leading characters to emerge undiluted. Recommended
TIME's Oscar Guide
It's Hollywood's biggest night of the year, and TIME film critic Richard Corliss has all the answers: Who's going to win, who will be robbed and who was just plain snubbed
Share
Prev
18 of 25 NextVIEW ALL
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Viola Davis, Doubt
Miramax FilmsThere's Acting — which Doubt has a lot of, mainly in Meryl Streep's harpyish (and Oscar-nominated) performance — and then there's acting, small a, the kind that opens a window onto a complex, troubled soul. That's what Davis brings to a smallish role as the mother of a boy implicated in a possible school sex scandal. Drop by careful drop, she pours out her heart, revealing the aspirations and desperation of any parent who'll fight to insure her son has a better life than she has. If that sounds like a line from an Obama speech, so be it. Such people exist; the world is better for their being in it, and Doubt is best when Davis is on-screen, inhabiting one of them. There's a wonderfully contained power in this performance: you respond as much to the fury held in as to the maternal anguish that seeps out. If Davis upsets Cruz, it will be because her emotional precision and devastating honesty stayed with Academy voters, and stared them down as they filled out the ballot. (Odds of winning: 3 to 1)
====
ARTICLES/ESSAYS
DOUBT [2008]: A CRISIS OF FAITH LEADS TO A DISSECTION OF THE NATURE OF CERTAINTY
Pranjal Singh / March 22, 2022 / 0 Comments / 539
Share this Article
Essay on John Patrick Shanley’s directed ‘Doubt’:
Since the dawn of mankind, there have been a plethora of elusive mysteries surrounding humans. The objectivity required to understand the scope and manifestation of truth has always remained out of reach. Whether it’s even possible to deduce absolutely corroborated occurrences is still unclear. Many times we get caught up in things that seem to deliberately mislead us – a meticulously constructed and carefully placed red herring. When our senses respond to stimuli in close collaboration with our thoroughly bred perceptions, the resulting cocktail is guaranteed to make our heads spin in exasperation. Belief becomes a weapon and bondage, simultaneously, as it strikes the other with suspicion and clouds the judgment of oneself. It’s at this precise moment that we learn the inevitability of uncertainty and ambiguity in our daily affairs, restructuring our entire thought process.
Doubt, directed by John Patrick Shanley, leisurely peels off the layers of such hypocrisies inherent in psychological exchanges. The plot revolves around a newly appointed priest of a Catholic church school who stands accused of inappropriate advances on a twelve-year-old African-American boy. Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep), the school principal, makes it her mission to bury the priest with the assistance of history teacher Sister James (Amy Adams), who becomes an unwilling participant in her crusade. Race, religion and gender intersect in myriad opposing ways, which creates a murky dilemma for all the players involved.
Doubt Essay
The opening sermon by Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) sets a precedent for the subsequent allegations, spun like a spider’s web. He literally and figuratively sows the seeds of doubts in all those present by showing it as a strong adhesive that could act as a healing substance. One of the boys, William, impulsive and mischievous, remains dismissive towards Flynn. Sister Aloysius observes her from the window, like a fox strategizing to entrap its prey. Sister Aloysius is skeptical of his showmanship or “friendliness” towards the students. Her autocratic exercise of power to maintain the strict regime over students gets threatened by his benign presence. His secular credentials and reformist approach collide with her abrasive, old-fashioned orthodoxy. Her mistrust aggravates when sister James nonchalantly reveals a rendezvous he had with a student, providing her with an imperative to pursue the “supposed” assailant. The two characters, father Flynn and Sister Aloysius, are also shown to inhabit entirely different worlds through alternately edited scenes. For instance, the lively feast of the priests headed by Father Flynn abruptly cuts to a funeral-like dinner of the nuns, underlined by a banging silence.
There are no hassle-free zones in this serpentine staircase of the giant secluded tower. Sister James acts as a stand-in for the audience, continuously swinging to and fro between two equally reasonably justified poles. The light flickers, and we lunge for answers in the dark, our limbs missing it by an inch. Both Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn try to convince sister James of their motives and righteousness while she tries to piece together pieces of the puzzle herself. Her quest for clarity is as flawed a concept as chastity, exemplified by both Flynn and Aloysius. Sister Aloysius reminds her multiple times in the movie that in order to do the work of God, we sometimes have to take the wrong path. An assertion out of the grasp of Sister James’ tender, straightforward worldview.
ALSO, READ – THE 10 BEST AMY ADAMS MOVIE PERFORMANCES
Meanwhile, the race and sexuality of the child further complicate the scenario. His mother (Viola Davis) is bogged down by hardship, her face oozing weariness from every pore. The boy’s father belonging to a marginalized background takes out his frustration on the boy. For her mother, the actions of Father Flynn are forgivable if it provides temporary solace to the boy. Economic prospects fuelled by a need for education in a bigoted environment are more important for her. Sister Aloysius is quick in berating the boy’s mother for being an uncaring parent, unable to understand the position she finds herself in. Father Flynn is an angelic figure in that family’s life, a place for shelter from the storm. Without any proof, the boy’s mother is unwilling to tarnish her son’s bond, knowing that he may be homosexual and their relationship questionable.
Doubt 2008
The cinematography, by Roger Deakins, is understated and only draws attention to itself when needed. The use of dutch-tilts in confrontation scenes creates a jarring, unsettling effect signifying the clash of ideals. We see images of feathers floating in the wind when Father Flynn uses them to demonstrate the wildfire caused by gossip. After Sister Aloysius’ meeting with the boy’s mother is over, a strong wind blows in the opposite direction, flailing her clothes wildly. She endures it, resisting the opposition by society, the church, and the wind to her mission. The orange-brown tint to their scenes (Father Flynn and Aloysius) not only evokes the period setting but also displays the bleak morality imbibed in the story. The claustrophobic tight shots in the climactic battle between Flynn and Aloysius make the gut wrench in discomfort. The sparse use of Howard Shore’s composition, only when it fits the proceedings, makes sure that we do not lose sight of the bigger picture.
CHECKOUT – THE 25 BEST MOVIES ABOUT WRITERS
The runtime is appropriate for the movie to spill its beans, never stretching or shortening a bit. Sister Aloysius finally breaks down in the end, expressing her doubts. We cannot definitely pinpoint the subject matter which created them. The dogged persistence of her resolute faith, whether in God, truth, or her beliefs, makes it even more beguiling to see it shattered so abruptly. Perhaps, she had those doubts all along but suppressed them in service of her much larger egotistical self-assurance. The weakness which afflicts everyone gets the better of her in the end. They can hint at any of those feelings- the crisis of faith, impaired judgment, failed system, or her own shaky foundations on which she based her insinuations.
Like her and sister James, we would have our “doubts” about everything which transpired on screen. The indictment is irrelevant to the uncertainty which conceived it. However, as Father Flynn said, sometimes doubt can be a bond much stronger than faith. Faith is lucrative as it satisfies the restless curiosity with unfounded claims and explanations. Doubt, harder to accept, is much more challenging in its uncompromising penchant to let a multitude of possibilities gestate and emerge. Sometimes, paradoxically, it is the only thing that can provide absolute certainty.
===
No comments:
Post a Comment