Reviewed by Helen Bolton
Stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams,
Viola Davis, Alice Drummond, Carrie Preston, John Costelloe,
Lloyd Clay Brown, Joseph Foster, Bridget Megan Clark
Written by John Patrick Shanley
Certification UK PG-13 | US 15
Runtime 104 minutes
Directed by John Patrick Shanley
Covering perhaps the worthiest of subject matter of all the current worthy, one-eye-on-the-Oscars films, Doubt is a considerable surprise. First of all, it’s thrilling rather than laboured and serious. Secondly, it belies its stage origins and opens out effectively. Thirdly, it’s as thought-provoking as it gets, a cleverly crafted, ambiguous tale of shifting moral attitudes and possible child abuse.
What’s not a surprise, of course, is that the acting is superb. It’s an adjective that’s bandied about too often but there isn’t a performance here that doesn’t pitch it perfectly. That’s certainly been reflected in the film’s nominations: no Best Picture or Director nods, not even a hint of Best Adapted Screenplay but two nominations — count ‘em — for Best Supporting Actress, and Actress and Supporting Actor endorsements for Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Hoffman’s Supporting classification is a little surprising, as the film revolves around his performance as Father Flynn, the new priest in the Bronx parish that’s been fiercely protected for years by Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Streep). However, this is 1964, post-Kennedy, and American life is changing. Flynn’s tenure reflects this new way of thinking, Sister Aloysius, however, has ruled with a fist of iron and is finding these new attitudes challenging. Things are brought to a rapid head by the sweetly innocent Sister James (Adams) who suspects that Father Flynn’s relationship with Donald Miller, the school’s first black pupil, is rather more intimate than is strictly permitted.
John Patrick Shanley’s film takes his own original text, which was impressive enough on the stage, and expands it out to powerful effect. The ambiguity of the plot — Flynn’s actions are never shown and left as pure speculation — could be frustrating but, instead, is perfect, and allows for much post-credit analysis, particularly the single scene with Donald’s mother. This character, and her willingness to (perhaps) turn a blind eye to her son’s “friendship” with Flynn, has the potential to be the most despised woman in recent film history. In Viola Davis’s hands, Mrs Miller becomes unforgettable for the right reasons and it’s not surprise that she’s picked up the film’s other Oscar nomination for this single moment of brilliance.
Doubt is not a film to see on your own. This is a well made, literary, intelligent film that demands to be dissected afterwards. Best of all, it will bear up to such close scrutiny.