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Great movies leave viewers with a question. This question can lead to long car-ride debates about plot, motives, etc. “Doubt” leaves viewers with lots of questions.
The plot is based on suspicion. Meryl Streep’s character, a nun in a Catholic school, is the source of ambiguous speculations toward Philip Seymour Hoffman’s character, a priest.
Streep plays sister Aloysius Beauvier, the stringent dragon lady who runs the school. She is harsh and holds to old-school ideals, frowning upon actions such as writing with ballpoint pens “like monkeys” or singing songs that condone witchcraft, such as “Frosty the Snowman.” It makes for some laughs in the beginning, but that’s about as far as viewers get with their smiles.
As Aloysius’ accusations build – without evidence – relationships are strained. The cinematography illustrates emotions beautifully. As the priest gets progressively more uncomfortable, camera angles twist down, blur or play with composition with distance and odd framing – this effectively makes the viewer as uncomfortable as Father Flynn (Hoffman).
Amy Adams is beautiful as the pure, sweet Sister James. Her purity – perhaps naivety – is charming; it balances Streep’s character perfectly.
The plot neither twists nor turns much throughout.
Conflicting beliefs act as the main climaxes. None of the characters ever say exactly what the accusations are against the priest. It’s easily assumable that they are along the lines of child molestation, as Sister Aloysius keeps saying he “corrupted” the boy.
The only sort of mini-climax is when Streep confronts the boy’s mother, played by Viola Davis. When walking the mother to her job as a cleaning lady, Streep alludes – again, vaguely – to “inappropriate” relationships between the boy and the priest. The mother makes it clear to Streep that as long as the boy – the only black child in the school – makes it to high school, she does not care. The befuddled, flustered Streep walks away, still adamant to make Flynn leave the parish.
Davis is a gem who – in the few minutes she has on screen – fully delves into the depths of a complex character. In what takes other characters the full runtime, Davis brings viewers through the turmoil of a worried mother whose abused son (abused by the father, that is) just needs to get through the eighth grade. Her character melts from stoic to defiant to a heartbreaking scene end, worthy of the Best Supporting Actress Oscar she’s up for.
After long scenes of quiet skepticism, the end is beyond melodramatic. It is out of place and leaves you bewildered. Understandably, it is an adaptation of a play, but this ending does not answer any of the questions the movie proposed – nor does it fit the tone of the plot or Streep’s character.
“Doubt” is playing at Movie Magic Cinema. It’s worth the $3, but is it worth the 20 minutes you might have to wait, as I did, because the film breaks and the projectionist has to fix it? Doubtful.
Grade: C+
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