DOUBT
By: Pedro U.
Definition: The state between belief and disbelief. This film adaptation of the John Patrick Shanley play of the same name does not lie when it tells us its content will check us in doubt. Our emotions become so tangled and for most of the film we are only left to our own criticisms and beliefs.
The film is opens in a 1960s Catholic Church in the Bronx, New York. Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) delivers a sermon on doubt, pointing out how it can be equally comparable to certainty in terms of its significance and relevance. The issue in the storyline arises when a teacher, Sister James (Amy Adams), becomes aware of the odd behavior of one of her students, Donald Miller (Joseph Foster), after he is called to Father Flynn’s office. She cannot hold back and decides to look for guidance and an explanation from her superior, Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep). Unfortunately for Sister James, she finds nothing more than and a seed of doubt waiting to flourish. It becomes apparent that a confrontation between Father Flynn and themselves is inevitable, yet the cause is not fully justified.
The manner in which the screenplay was written is very skillful. All along we know the subject matter of the film and the main argument being made, but the screenwriters have managed to keep it discrete for the purpose of building up the tension and mystery of the plot. At one point in the film we are given all the pieces of ”evidence” from the explanation delivered by Father Flynn. Of course we do not know whether these statements are certain, but they are necessary in the film’s interaction with the viewer.
I found myself going back and forth trying to come up with an answer, but at the same time I was afraid that I was going to commit an error in being led by my emotions. Substantial evidence is not the strong of the film while moral values and perception are. The film requires a tremendous effort from the viewer. Do not expect to be given scenes and explanations immediately because you will need to construct your own if you don’t want to sit there aimlessly for about an hour.
The acting was superb, especially from Philip Seymour Hoffman. As a stage performer, he knows the importance of speech and line delivery and this is shown skillfully through his character. Meryl Streep embodied the doubt that mesmerized all of us throughout the film and she even has a shocking confession in the end to make us almost laugh from the hysteria.
Having watched all of the films nominated for Best Picture in 2008, I can say that this was the best by far. Slumdog Millionaire took the prized award home that year and I believe this was a mistake on the part of the Academy. In the future I will write a review on Slumdog explaining why, in spite of its integrity, it cannot compare to Doubt.
Rating: Four Stars
