Doubt review

The poster for Doubt features a solid black cross with white surrounding it. It’s simple and cold, much like the Catholic school Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep) runs. She hates all roads that lead into the modern world (here 1964). She has old-time beliefs on being strict, something most people who went to a Catholic school can attest too. Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is something I think most people would want a priest to be. He’s friendly, his relates his sermons into daily terms, and as he tells Sister Aloysius, “I think the Church needs to be friendlier.” These two forces are going to collide.

Doubt is sharply written. It must’ve been a delight for Streep and Hoffman to work with such material; there’s depth and subtleness, stuff great actors can take and explore. Based on a Tony award-winning play, the film is simple but incredibly complex. From Father Flynn’s opening sermon about the nature of doubt within us, the film is constantly exploring intentions, motivations, and this theme. John Patrick Shanley, piques our interest, and even as we sit there, we too are forced to confront our own doubts about Father Flynn.

The story features the first African-American to be accepted in this school and he’s immediately singled-out and ignored. Father Flynn decides to befriend him, which is admirable, but after he’s caught with alcohol people start questioning the relationship between him and Father Flynn. This gives Sister Aloysius ammo to take him down. Audiences looking for a clear cut story will be aggravated that this film forces you to question things, but I found that to be one of the film’s strengths. Hints will lead to a few revelations along the way, but you’ll be talking about the film and it’s ending well after the credits roll. Streep and Hoffman collide in pure acting supreme; they’re so good you can take your eyes off of their interactions and dialogue. Shanley has created an emotionally deep and intelligent film, worth attending.

Going back to the poster, which gives us the film and its characters right there through the use of two non-colors; black and white, no gray. Maybe there is gray. Doubt is certainty married to suspicion. We question what we think we know, or do we accept things based on fact? Doubt will lead you to some interesting discussions, and for that alone it is worth the ticket price. Did I mention Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman go head-to-head? Who wouldn’t want to see that?

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