Doubt Review: Em

“Where is your compassion?” Father Flynn shouts. “No where you can get at it,” Sister Aloysius Beauvier snarls at the accused priest.

Amy Adams and Meryl Streep have teamed up in the new movie Doubt as the innocent Sister James (Adams) and the stern Sister Beauvier (Streep) are accusing their priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) of molesting one of the students in their school. The movie takes place in the halls of a strict Catholic school which doubles as a church in 1964 and in the heart of the Bronx. The movie is a montage of the trio arguing relentlessly, as well as a slew of symbolic references.

The plot of the movie begins to rise when Sister James excuses one of her students to meet with Father Flynn in the rectory, and returns with the strong smell of alcohol on his breath. She goes to her superior, Sister Beauvier with the news, and the two conspire to make Father Flynn confess to his sins. The movie continues as the characters start to have their “doubts” about what is really going on.

The movie was adapted from a popular play, and was directed by the play’s author, John Patrick Shanley. Though the acting in the movie is brilliant-Meryl Streep’s character is not only feared by the pupils of her school but by the audience itself- I feel as though it should have stayed a play. Not much happens during the duration of the movie, something that can only be pulled off on stage where limited costume and set changes are available. Also, the beautiful symbols scattered throughout the film are an aspect that I believe to be more appreciated by the theater group.

I would recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys theater, being one of these people myself allowed me to visualize the entire movie as if it were on stage. I can recommend this film to just about anybody; it is rated PG-13, for some parts can be rather intense, and the subject matter is rather mature. Overall, I give Doubt three out of five stars.