DLW:

There were surprises, both general and specific, as 'Doubt' came to a close. With the exception of a couple of previews, I knew nothing about the movie, not even that it was adapted from a stage play by the same title. As the movie approached its final thirty minutes, I was curious about how the story could be resolved, with so many loose ends remaining. I had been conditioned to expect more common dramatic elements: the car crash moment, the gun-shot moment, the explosion accompanied by a ball of fire. When the conditioned expectations didn't happen, my conditioned responses had nowhere to go. When orientation was regained, I realized how seldom we're treated to a story of this quality or writing of this caliber. Such is the playwright's magic, and we're unaccustomed to seeing it in multi-plexes. Okay...I've added a bit of my own drama, but it shouldn't overwhelm my expressed appreciation for this piece of work. We can thank writer/director John Patrick Shanley for the lack of compromise. He wrote both the stage play and the screenplay, and directed the film. I'm willing to bet that he was encouraged more than once, to spice things up for the screen. The story takes place in the year 1964, not long after the Kennedy assassination, and the ramping-up of the Vietnam war. The story represents that crossroads on a smaller, more personal level. A loss of orientation also exists within the confines of a Catholic grade school. Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep), represents the old-school of cast-iron certainty and infallibility. Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), represents a newer breed of compassion more in tune with the street. More is involved, of course, but that is the basic playing field. There's no need for me to provide more detail. The cast, as you might assume, is without flaw. Make special note of two very powerful supporting roles by Viola Davis and Amy Adams. There are few better examples of dramatic portrayal or the writer's craft.

gil 588096:

This movie unfolds inside St. Nicholas Catholic School in the Bronx in the mid-1960s. Stoic principal head nun, Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep) oversees the austere school like a task master. She's a severe religious headmistress who is suspicious of progress and change, strikes students in the head for not paying attention, and bans Frosty the Snowman from holiday events as an example of paganism. So it follows that Sister Aloysius might come into conflict with kindhearted Father Flynn, a parish priest, regarding his behavior concerning the school's first and only black student, Donald Miller. Although Sister Aloysius has only circumstantial evidence of any improper relationship between the priest and the boy, she encourages a young proper nun, Sister James (Amy Adams who is stunning in this role), to support her theory. This is a chilling commentary on a "rush to judgment" scenario that I found compelling and disturbing on several levels. Streep is wicked, Seymour-Hoffman is appropriately subdued and/or angry, and Adams is demure as the wise, but inexperienced, young teacher. 04-16-09

Bunched Undies:

Doubt is a film about faith and it asks us to make choices about the story based on faith. Who do you believe? Father Flynn or Sister Aloysius? It?s not an easy choice because each of them has a number of hidden agendas. Some are clear, others are only hinted at. Streep has some uncharacteristic accent slippage in the early going, but rallies to create one of her more memorable characters. Hoffman does a fine job and is quite believable as a priest whose shadowy past forces him to pick his battles wisely. Ultimately the film feels unsatisfying, sort of like a detective story where the mystery is never solved, and there?s a surprise denouement that asks many more questions than it answers. But isn?t that the nature of faith itself?

jcranma:

"Doubt" is an adeptly acted (mostly by Seymour Hoffman and Streep), well scripted, and tightly executed film. A very notable matter about the film is its ambiguity. It gives enough room for interpretation on which character is more justified and "right" in terms of their actions and motives. It's rather easy to imagine how terrible and unbearable it could have been if the material was handled with a heavy handed moralizing tone. Furthermore, I give it credit for not spoon feeding the audience and giving them a chance to piece it together in a satisfying manner. Another notable matter is the way it presents the characters. All are portrayed as flawed individuals who have motives why they act and make decisions that way (even the very minor characters), but none of them are given the clear marking of being an antagonist. In other words, all of them falls in a gray area with their mix of faults and virtues. The pacing and running time makes this a breeze to watch. As a lapsed Catholic, I didn't see grounds where the institution, clergy, and lay public are portrayed in an unnecessary negative light. The unfolding of scandals during the last decade (even in very Catholic countries) along with the massive media coverage has made me quite on the look out for such portrayals. In closing, don't be afraid to queue this fearing a very manipulative and angry borefest. (05/11/09)

1d56bcdd85:

Something about this movie reminds me of Hitchcock's Suspicion. It is the crafty and clever way of the stories to cast doubts and leave them unclarified. There is something very delicious about relishing the different scenarios and possibilites about what the truths could really be. I am a fan of Philip Seymour Hoffman. In my book, he is on his way to become one of the timeless American actors. Meryl Streep definitely arose to the occassion and gave one of her memorable performances in this film. As for the story itself, Doubt left me in limbo between sadness, contempt, apathy and needless to say, doubt.

mabell3368:

Very thought provoking. In some ways it raises more questions than it answers, but that may have been from design. Wonderful cast. Another Oscar-worthy performance from Meryl Streep playing the dictatorial Sister Aloysius, but Amy Adams as the innocent, fresh-faced sister James was a revelation. Viola Davis just broke my heart as the woman trying to protect her son from a world that seemed determined to destroy him. And Philip Seymour Hoffman was just enigmatic enough to make one believe him capable of what was suspected and yet not so sinister as to remove all doubt. An interesting look at a time when the Catholic Church and America itself was undergoing great upheaval. The location brought a genuine flavor to the film and the bleakness of the winter setting again only added depth to the atmosphere.

BunnyKing:

Speaking of wind, have you seen the lengthy novels people are passing as reviews for this film? Geesh! And to use that as an anology, so too does this film try to be more than what it really is. Sometimes a film is only saved by it performers, and such is the case with Doubt. The actors were superb: Hoffman and Streep were really top notch with some great performances you would expect from A-class actors. But that's it. The rest of this mess is a story that takes place over, perhaps, three or four days. The creators did everything they could to titilate you, to confuse you, to (forgive me) raise one's doubts. Yet, you will likely have already made up your mind from the outset and thus this titiliation goes nowhere. The final scene between the two sisters is meant to raise questions, but does little more than annoy. The "multiple levels" everyone discusses are merely contrived attempts to appear deeper, and the use of "doubt" is played to exhaustion. Again, this isn't a bad film, but it's not what it wants to be. Even 2 extra minutes of dialouge between the sisters at the end could have raised the plot to a tolerable level, but no, again, they beat the dead horse of "doubt" and it wasn't cute or effective. In any case, the camera work was good, the acting superior, the plot stunk.

Firewater:

DOUBT is a great character drama, with an intimate feel and a curious timelessness for a period piece. This was adapted by the author from his Pulitzer-winning play, and the movie retains a play's "small" feeling while dealing with themes that remain fresh today. This is not a movie-of-the-week about the charming pedophile who comes to town. It is a movie about doubt, and the central story question is never really answered. Amazing performances from Streep, Hoffman and Adams. It should have won a few of the Academy Awards for which it was nominated. [04-21-09]

WOAF:

Doubt was a very interesting film. It was placed in my queue about 6 months ago and I came across it just recently for I expected it to be a long & tiresome film. On the contrary, the subject matter of doubt and faith captured my attention because the film unravels as like a thriller/suspense. Then you can really correlate with Sister Aloysiuss (Streep) doubt. The viewer thinks 'you know, Father Flynn (Hoffman) could be a pedo.' but do you (the viewer) choose to have doubt or have faith w/o knowing complete absolute truth? That is where the film separated its uniqueness from most films to me and the fact that Meryl Streep is one of the greatest actors of all time (yes it is a fact)+ how can you not love Amy Adams? Philip Seymour Hoffman also comes a long way in his career and I give him so much props for the continual growth in his performances. This film is not pure entertainment but I think youll get a form of entertainment by its subpar comedy and mostly the relationship between you and your take on faith (in general, not just religion).

blucthulhu:

Carried by subtle performances from the three leads, Doubt deftly handles some weighty subject matter without insulting the viewer's intelligence. The third act leans slightly towards the melodramatic, and a key character (Viola Davis) is not given nearly enough time to make her motivations believable, but all in all this is a solid drama. 8/10

DfwForeignBuff:

Doubt (2008) Good Movie I enjoyed it. I am glad I am not catholic. I think this was one of the best films of 2008. Very beautifully filmed. This film is only one of several lately showing the injustices in the catholic church. In this film a catholic priest is accused of child molestation (unjustly) by his school administrator (a catholic nun) n 1964 a Catholic elementary school has just admitted its first Black student, a 12-year-old boy transferred from public school. The principal, a rigid disciplinarian nun, and the liberal parish priest are both concerned for the boy's welfare in a predominantly Irish/Italian school. The nun becomes convinced that the priest has, or is planning to have, an improper relationship with the child and is determined to force him to leave the school. A third compassionate person is the boy's mother, who has another point of view. The fourth person is a young teacher who is concerned but confused by the conflict between the nun and the priest. Be sure and watch "the Magdalene Sisters". This film was nominated for a lot of Oscars but won a few at the British BAFTA. Philip S Hoffman sure has been in a lot of movies 2006-2008. I am almost tired of seeing him but he was excellent in this role. four stars recommended.

ENPIV:

There are three main characters in this movie; all three of them got nominated for an Oscar. Viola Davis is on screen for perhaps 5 minutes, and SHE got nominated. I'm not quite sure how the Academy can think the acting is that good and not consider the picture worthy of the same recognition. I loved this movie. The movie and the actors play everything straight down the middle, and the viewer is left making their own decisions about guilt. This movie feels both old and topical at the same time. Highly recommended.

Arnie Osborn:

DISCLAIMER I do not enjoy Meryl Streep. Have never been a fan, do not consider myself one now. I am so much not a fan of Streep that I almost choose to bypass this film. It would have been a grave mistake. The film as well as Streep's performance were both spectacular. Streep as well as Phillip Seymour Hoffman both came to the screen with their "A" Game and gave ALL. There was "No Doubt" by the end of the film as to where each person stood. The film tells a story of Doubt, Worry, Fear, Accusations, Forgiveness, Sin, Growth, Gossip, and Betrayal. The question that is always in play is whose? Your faith or lack their of; your religion or the fact that you follow no set religion should not stop you from seeing this film. This movie makes you question each character as they take their stand for or against the claims that are put forth. You will see evidence of nothing... and the absolute surety that no evidence is warranted, if you feel your doubt is enough. Great Movie... Great Performance... Great Story Superb Acting... Do Not Miss This Show!

tebes:

Exceptional performances by all and excellent writing. What turned me off was the ending - I just didn't believe that the character would behave like that.

lastliberal:

Five Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. 10 wins and 27 other nominations. This is definitely one of the best films of 2008. We all knew a Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep). Tough, and sure of herself. She has serious doubts about Father Brendan Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman). She enlists the aid of the unwilling Sister James (Amy Adams) to investigate whether or not something inappropriate is going on with Donald Miller (Joseph Foster). The acting, the dialog, the story, it is all superb. Viola Davis was absolutely fascinating as Donald's mother. The ending will leave you stunned.

apeponderingtail:

What a pleasant surprise to be so entertained by this. The tension is palpable as Streep and Hoffman trade verbal jabs and kicks to the nether regions. Some fantastic tit for tat moments such as "Do you have no compassion?" - "You'll never find it." Take that, you fruity friar! Despite the subject matter, I found myself smiling and even laughing sometimes after such exchanges. I'm almost inclined to accuse my neighbor of touching my cat inappropriately, Streep makes it look like so much fun.

Netflowers:

SPOILER ALERT......The priest Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) shows interest in the first African American student in a Bronx Catholic school in the 1960's. Sister Aloysiius Beauvier (Meryl Streep) believes that the relationship to be improper. She has nothing to go on, just her belief that all is not well. Sister Aloysius wants Father Flynn to resign, and she forces the issue by insinuating that she has information on the Father's previous postings where he had previous improper relationships with students. She had no such information, Father Flynn resigns, therefore confirming Sister Aloysius's suspicions, and in her mind proving that she was correct all along. I gave it 5***** STARS

Andsav:

A beautifully done movie that masterfully deals with a very dark subject matter without being cliche or predictable. I usually have my reservations when I hear that a successful film is being adapted into a film. In this case, my fears were unfounded. Shanley really breathes new life into this film ushering it from stage to the big screen. The story wasn't entierly unique, but the way in which it was addressed was clever. The cast was masterfully led by the wonderful Streep, followed closely behind by Hoffman and Amy Adams. This isn't a happy film but more of a study of human nature, suspicion, and intolerance. It's a very complex story that requires multiple viewings to fully appreciate. Easiyl this movie is set to be an American classic in the not too distant future. Loved it!

Walt D in LV:

Very nice whodunnit type movie who's outcome can NOT be predicted! Incredible performances throughout absolutely MAKE this a great film. This is not too heavy-handed on the religious aspect, which is nice. If you love a great story with terrific performances, you owe it to yourself to see this! 1/18/09

John Purdue:

I expected so much more from Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman; two stellar actors got stuck in a film that fell flat. There was tremendous potential given the movie's story line, but the producers threw a main-stream-targeted soft ball; too bad. It's an okay movie if you give the actors some slack.

simplygreg:

Watching these actors in this complex work is like seeing virtuosos perform a moving concerto. Make no mistake, This is a thrilling and intricate work that leaves you with marvelous questions as the credits roll.

E-Weezie:

Doubt was really interesting. Meryl Streep -- I mean, can she get any better at this point? I loved her and hated her all at once. The title signifies more than an emotion the characters are dealing with -- but the emotions that the viewers are going through as well.

mef 610899:

No big speech on morals or values, just didn't like the movie. I guess the constant yelling, the long stares, just got quite annoying. No matter how taboo the topic, the movie was quite boring, turned it off to watch Criminal Minds.

BlueVoid:

For the most part Doubt missed the mark, never going beyond a mediocre drama that seemed to hold the hand of the viewer, forcing emotions rather than guiding. Perhaps it's because it's based on a play, but Doubt felt boxed in and overly controlled, preventing me from connecting with it in any meaningful way. It's not that its a bad film, there is a strong message at its heart, but its not one of the best film of the year. A few of the scenes between Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep are powerful and memorable, but on a whole the film left me wanting more of those scenes and less of the cold, somber drabble that filled most of the rest of the movie.

ea5f6fb0c3:

Watch this film if for no other reason than to check out your personal biases and assumptions about almost everything associated with this movie. The writing is absolutely superb and the plot is unequaled. Of course, the actors make every nuiance totally believeable. Be sure to watch the bonus features for more insights into yourself and this masterful work.

WideStance:

The movie adaptation had a 'stagey' feel to it (like something on PBS or Playhouse 90) but Streep is truly great as the intense, crusading Sister Aloysius Beauvier. For as much mustache-twirling and scene-chewing as the role could have led to, her restrained yet commanding performance is especially impressive. Too bad the director had to constantly overdo it with the cheesy lightning and wind effects punctuating so many of her scenes. You'd swear you were watching an old Hammer horror film half the time. It's really that bad. Still, it's great to see Streep turn in such a great performance, and both of her big scenes with Hoffman as Father Flynn are stunners. Yes, Hoffman holds his own with Streep at her best. For all the hype she's receiving, Viola Davis doesn't really. She's got one brief shocking scene with Streep that will probably get an Oscar nomination but I didn't buy it, mostly because of how it's written. The fake snot is pretty distracting in that scene too. In the end, there's a lot of thespian gravitas in Doubt but the bungled direction and abrupt choose-your-own-ending conclusion were disappointments.

khl 491889:

I have never been a fan of Streep's, by any stretch. But this has got to be her finest performance. Finally her character has a life that is not fleshed out with technique, like she has done for years. Beyond that, it's a terrific movie- compelling and creepy and a look at something deep and dark within all of us.

crewark:

I saw a touring company of "Doubt: A Parable" starring Cherry Jones in the role that won her a Tony Award for Best Actress, and when I came out of the show what impressed me even more than her mesmerizing performance was the way John Patrick Shanley's play achieved such a delicately balanced sense of ambiguity on the issue of guilt and innocence. Consequently, I was worried that even though Shanley would be both adapting his play to the screen and directing this film version, the careful calculus of the drama would be ruined.

AtTheBeach:

A movie with Meryl Street and Philip Seymour Hoffman should be excellent--and "Doubt" is an excellent movie. There are no car chases, no explosions and no physical violence. The movie centers on the personalities of a priest, played by Hoffman, and a nun, played by Streep. They have different views of the world, different personalities and different goals and agendas. They clash and it is never clear who had the greater claim to righteous behavior. The dialogue between the two characters and the personality clash makes the movie interesting. The role of Amy Adams as a shy, retiring teacher who wants to make everyone happy is a pleasant counterpoint. Streep did another movie this year, "Mamma Mia", which is a musical and she displayed a totally different character. In "Doubt" she is dogmatic, self-righteous, and unyielding. The contrast in her personality with that of the more easy-going, fun-loving priest played by Hoffman is dramatic but the movie also leaves one wondering who was right and who was wronged. "Doubt" is an excellent movie. It will especially appeal (or possibly repel) anyone who has attended a Catholic school and been exposed to some of the underlying currents that are probably not that uncommon in that environment.

phw 1478843:

Superb acting by all, especially Meryl. Unfortunately, it's a very real story. The movie was a little too long, but overall I was engaged and it was very well done.

ykf 483620:

A lot of glowing reviews here, I hate to be the contrarian, but to me this film was flat. Doubt is the story of a 1960s priest (Hoffman) who may or may not have molested a young boy. A young, naive nun (Adams) at the school oversees something that seems to be a bit untoward and when she tells her mother superior (Streep), the older nun goes into overdrive to expose the wrongdoing of this priest and get rid of him. The film is also a broader discussion of the direction of the church, progressive education and social order and the role of sexuality within the church. But while that sounds like it would be very compelling, to me the film felt like a big, slow build to the eventual confrontation scene and that scene (while great at moments) left me wanting. I also felt like there were some fairly obvious ways to determine the priest's guilt or innocence that were never addressed. For instance, how is it possible that this nun never meets with the boy in question OR another boy at the school to try and determine the truth? And it's these sorts of unanswered questions that makes the film seem like it's determined to be ambiguous, when it really could be pretty straightforward. It's creating doubt for the sake of its own story which makes the drama a little weak. Now all the acting is solid... and the direction is minimal, but I didn't find it distracting. I thought it was pretty much what I'd expect to see from someone who generally works on the stage. For me, the reason this film was average instead of great was because it doesn't embrace reality. If you were in this world, you could determine the answer... and if you can't, that has to be shown. But doing neither and then saying this is symbolic for the doubt in all humans... well, that's a little wishy-washy for me. Still, I didn't hate this movie. I'd give it a mild recommendation to those who like stage plays and drama in films.