Doubt

Doubt is an important and necessary part of life. While it can be frustrating, doubt may mean more when seeking the truth than certainty and faith when evidence is lacking. That is what I drew from Doubt, the film by John Patrick Shanley, based on his play. Set in the mid-sixties, Doubt concerns itself with a priest who may have had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a young boy and the nun who is dead set on taking him down. Unfortunately, there is nary a scrap of proof to back either case, so the two battle each other from a faith standpoint, hoping they have the right side of the story. This battle would hardly be convincing if not for the star power behind the central characters. Philip Seymour Hoffman, as if he needed any praise at all, does a fantastic job playing the questioned priest, making you want to believe in him, but leaving you uncertain. Meryl Streep and Amy Adams are two nuns who take very opposing standpoints on the issue, and the hard-nosed Streep character and adorable, innocent Adams character are just two more forces that muddy the waters of the alleged incident. Shanley directed the film from a script adapted from his play, and for the most part he pulls it off. The script is sound enough, and the movie doesn't often feel like a play being filmed, yet moments have staged aspects. But in the end, the mystery that surrounds doubt is integral to the point. Sometimes you don't know, thus, Doubt.

Genre - Drama (3.25)

Screenplay (3)
Acting (4)
Production (3)
Directing (3)