Review of Doubt (2003) by Matthew D — 23 Jan 2019

Doubt is an ambiguous masterpiece.

An emotional exploration of moral questioning.

Doubt (2008) is a phenomenal drama about faith, love, and morality. Writer and director John Patrick Shanley gives a thoughtful perspective into the mindset of kindly priests and persistent nuns. You see the morality and ethics of the Catholic church brought into question as to how do you accuse someone of a wrong without proof. It is a shining example of an engaging drama that ponders certainty and doubt.

The theme of doubt is intriguing in Doubt as the film is left open ended with each accusatory scene remaining ambiguous. Doubt thrives on the audience wondering what is true, who is lying, or is someone even lying. The doubt the characters feel and experience is reflected upon the viewer. I never felt confused, but rather stimulated by the inquiry of questions posed. You get to decide what is the truth or if that was even the point as Doubt can also be viewed as a character study of three religious figures. An innocent fresh faced nun, a strictly regressive nun, and a kindly progressive priest. You witness their lives and how they juxtapose each other, so you decide what matters in Doubt.

Howard Shore's score is lovely as it rises with the conflict and tense circumstances of the climactic sequences. Shore builds upon the haze of facts and opinions with his volatile score in a symphony of sounds. The flurry of a dark undertone lines Doubt with an uneasy atmosphere.

Roger Deakins' cinematography is gorgeous as every scene is photographed with a clean precision. There are several Dutch angles to keep you out of your comfort spaces. The wide shots outside of the church are so cold and uninviting like the dismal nuns. The frightened children are captured by delicate close ups as the nervous adults are captivating in their close ups. Shanley's direction is steadfast and stunning as you feel the suspense building with each scene. The verbal confrontations are as exciting and entrancing as any action scene of drama.

Doubt is a success of tender subtle acting with its fantastic cast. Philip Seymour Hoffman gives my favorite performance from him as Father Brendan Flynn. His Father Flynn feels sympathetic and frustrated with righteous indignation at the accusations made against him. Hoffman is so brilliant as he plays every single scene with an ambiguous duality that could exonerate or condemn him for each occurrence. Hoffman somehow managed to play Father Flynn as simultaneously nice and suspicious.

Similarly, Meryl Streep is outstanding as the nun Sister Aloysius Beauvier. Her strict toughness reveals a rigid fanaticism to her character. Her nun is so raving mad and often needlessly cruel and intolerant that her hard questions are easy to doubt. That is the point though. Streep portrays a woman that cannot accept a scenario in which she is wrong. She pulls off Sister Beauvier with a calm impression with her facial and vocal sternness. Streep convinces you of Sister Beauvier's certainty with her intuition and lack of hesitation.

Next, Amy Adams is wondrous as the sweet and innocent new nun named Sister James. Adams delivers in her performance with a display of tender kindness and understanding with a willingness to believe in the good in people. Her genuine goodness is never in question as Amy Adams makes you believe in her decency. However, Adams is so skilled that she gives Sister James a gentle naivety that could give way to the potential crimes and cover-up of Father Flynn. She allows that Father Flynn could be guilty, but leaves with a sense of his likely innocence and empathy. I love Amy Adams in Doubt as she captivates you with her purity and delights you with her distress.

As all three of Doubt's leads entertain me thoroughly, the supporting actress Viola Davis really surprised me as well. Davis makes the maybe victimized boy's past and home life apparent with a single conversation. Viola Davis makes herself a talent to watch thanks to her nervous portrayal of a desperate mother in Doubt.

Overall, Doubt is one of the greatest films ever made. It is a gripping drama and an entertaining inquisition of priestly conduct. Shanley's direction is mindful, while Deakins' cinematography is immaculate. I would recommend Doubt for any viewer of any faith as it is more a think piece on justice and morality than a faith based drama.