Doubt was a powerful Broadway play. On Broadway the Writer is King! Not one word of his play can be changed without his approval. Not true in Hollywood where the Director is King. So John Patrick Shanley, the writer of the Broadway play, made sure he was the Director of the film.The movie, set in the early 60’s, is about a clash between two strong-willed individuals. A strict, veteran senior Nun, Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep) rules over teachers and students at a catholic school believing in the power of fear and discipline. The younger, charismatic, more moderate Priest, Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) has recently been placed in charge of the parish, and opposes the strict customs of the parish school. The Nuns and teachers are under Sister Aloysius’s supervision, but Father Flynn is in charge of the parish.
Sister Aloysius never allows the nuns who teach under her supervision to deal with unruly students – so the class can move on uninterrupted – and also for the benefit of the teachers. All errant students are sent directly to Sister’s office – and no one wants to go there!
The crux of the confrontation between Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn is her suspicion that the Priest may be molesting a young male student, and his denial of her charges. Her suspicion is based on a lifetime of dealing with human nature at all ages. It is fed by a younger, innocent nun, Sister James (Amy Adams) who reluctantly tells her of an incident that could possibly suggest a relationship between the young male student and the Priest.
The dilemma of the story is that Sister Aloysius has no proof of any wrong doing by the Priest. Only her intuition. Father Flynn is her superior and is outraged at her accusations – which she utters in an explosive face to face confrontation.
Performances by Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, both former academy award winners, live up to every expectation. Amy Adams as the young nun steps way up from her Disney “Enchanted” role of Giselle, to deliver a performance of sensitivity and uncertainty. Viola Davis’ brief scene as the boys mother is intense and gripping.
Beautifully written and directed by John Patrick Shanley, this engrossing motion picture is literally guaranteed to leave you in “Doubt”.
Written for the Screen and Directed by John Patrick Shanley
Based on the Stage Play by John Patrick Shanley
Produced by Scott Rudin, Mark Roybal
Cast:
Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis
*Rated PG-13, 104 minutes
Tags: Amy Adams, Doubt, Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Viola Davis
