Tonight I was lucky enough to see a sneak preview of the new movie DOUBT. Doubt is the film adaptation of John Patrick Shanley’s multi-award winning play Doubt: A Parable. The film was directed by the playwright, and stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as Fr. Brendan Flynn, Meryl Streep as Sister Aloysius Beauvier, and Amy Adams as Sister James. Taking place at a Bronx Catholic elementary school, the story unfolds as the showdown between the charismatic Fr. Flynn, who seeks to modernize the Church in his Congregation, and Sister Beauvier, the hard-headed school principal who suspects Fr. Flynn of paying “special attention” to the first black student to attend the school. Sister James, a young, idealistic nun, is caught in the middle.
Here is the trailer:
While the film does have its lulls, as a whole I found the film very well done. First, the film played very strongly on symbolism, using stormy weather to show the “storm” taking place within the school. It allowed the tension to grow and develop the themes that ran throughout the film, including morality and authority.
Second, the cinematography was outstanding. At many times throughout the film, the camera would take cockeyed angles, showing the characters in less-than-usual shots. This heightened the on-screen conflict and only furthered the mood set by the heavy symbolism.
Finally, the acting was superb. Meryl Streep is fantastic as the time-hardened nun, who likely has a soft interior, while Philip Seymour Hoffman wows as the angst-ridden priest being torn apart from the inside out. It is no wonder the film is already being nominated for awards from Best Picture to Best Supporting Actress (having been nominated for 5 Golden Globes and 4 Satellite Awards). Go check it out.
