Newspaper: Doubt Review

Doubt Review: B+

This movie is a finely crafted piece of art. Like with any such endeavor, like a stature cut from stone, or a hand made piece of furniture, there are imperfections and unique attributes that might not fit in something of a similar build, or appear in a similar piece, but they only serve to heighten the overall value in the end. Doubt is not perfect, but it is still beautiful and effective.

The story is set in the 1960’s, about a year after the Kennedy assassination according to one of the sermons, and focuses on a Catholic church and school. It begins innocently enough, with a sermon from Father Flynn (Seymour Philip Hoffman), the topic of which is the movie’s namesake. This alerts the suspicions of Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep), who tells her fellow Sisters to keep an eye on the kindly, vivacious Priest. When the idyllic young Sister James (Amy Adams) sees something she can’t explain, she begins a long battle of conscience and grit determination between Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn, the former crusading to prove the latter of an unsavory relationship with an Alter Boy without any proof to aid her. She is steadfast, and it seems nothing will satisfy her until Father Flynn is removed from the school.

Originally written for the stage, playwright John Patrick Shanley adapted his script for the screen and pulled together a cast of strong faces and reputations to direct. He handles them with skill, their performances adding to his powerful script and making the transition from stage to screen appear almost effortless. The story feels at home on film, projected over an audience, which is frequently a difficult thing to accomplish when translating a performance piece that relies so heavily on its words to something so much more visual and nuanced.

While the writing is strong, quick, and potent, it really is the performances that bring this movie to its full potential. Of course, it’s hard to imagine anything less happening when Oscar winning names like Philip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep are put in a room together. Amy Adams also provides a stunning performance, and holds her own ground against the heavyweights around her. The complimentary cast, including the young students of the school, are excellently cast. It would be a difficult task to find a weak performance here.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is undeniably complicated and troubled, yet endearing and as loveable as they come. He’s funny, carries himself lightly, and has this intensity about him that shows his devotion to his vows, even though that conviction is never directly spoken about in the movie. It’s questioned, and he’s clearly struggling, with quiet shots of his face falling, his eyes wandering, his body tensing or relaxing whenever Sister Aloysius comes near or moves away. His is a subtle technique, and his usually powerful and resonating voice is pulled back to reveal this kind, genuine character that the audience simply cannot trust. It’s subtle, and extremely potent.

Meryl Streep plays Sister Aloysius with zeal and a fair amount of human. Her deliveries are so natural, with lines being muttered or stepped on by other people speaking. With a character as specific as Aloysius, it’s difficult not to play a type. After all, this isn’t the first ‘mean’ character she has ever played. Yet, I found the Sister to be compassionate, albeit it bullheaded and extremely determined. She was devoted to this idea of guilt with such conviction, she pursued it with every ounce of her being, even if it meant stepping back from her vows. It was a fascinating journey for her, because her heart wasn’t made of steel. She wasn’t evil or cruel. She was old fashioned and a bit jaded, her views outdated and threatened by the changing times. Still, she had a good heart, and the film made sure to let it be seen with subtle moments between herself and an aging Sister who was in danger of being taken out of the church.

Of them all, I think Amy Adams had the most commanding role. Not because of the importance she held to the plot or how difficult her scenes were, but because of the changes her character was undergoing through the film. She began as this young, bright eyed Sister who saw good in everyone and tried to bring it out, playing nice and teaching her classes with an honest passion and a rather lenient style. She never knew which side of the battle to be on, once she inadvertently got it rolling, and was affected with each interaction she had with Father Flynn and Sister Aloysius. She is malleable, and her struggle to choose what to believe is very much akin to what the director wants of his audience.

There are a few very odd camera angels and other weird moments of directing that keep the piece from being as cohesive as it needed to be. Stark cuts, tilted cameras and veiled imagery that are difficult to decipher in one viewing seem out of place and too few and far between to dictate any real necessity. Still, the performances and writing truly carry the movie. There are also some great moments of music within the relatively quiet scenes, which almost creates another character in its own right, perhaps in the visual presence of the wind that changes and blows throughout the piece.

Doubt it a powerful, thought provoking piece that highlights what characters, writing, and actors are capable of. It is an interesting film, well paced, and in the end, does nothing to clear up that for which it was named. And that’s the best part.