Review: Doubt

"Doubt" is one of the best movies that I saw in 2008. The film unravels an unsettling and ambiguous story that takes place in 1964 at St. Nicholas in the Bronx. Meryl Streep plays Sister Aloysius who is a strict, traditional nun who seems uncomfortable at the reforms taking place within the Catholic Church via Vatican II (then still going on).

In the movie, she carries out an undeclared war against the Parish priest, Father Flynn, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman. She is particularly rattled by a progressive sermon preached by Father Flynn in the beginning of the film on the subject of (you guessed it) "Doubt". She also hates ballpoint pins and seems rather uncomfortable with the racial integration that is beginning to take place in the school.

The final issue becomes a rather poignant issue within the story. One African American student, Donald Miller (Joseph Foster II) is attending the school and is mocked by many of his fellow caucasian classmates. Father Flynn takes Donald under his wing. He encourages Donald in sports and appoints him as an altar boy. The incredibly sweet, but naive, Sister James (Amy Adams) notices that Donald is being called to the rectory...alone...to meet with Father Flynn. Upon the boys return, he is acting "funny" and appears to have drunk communion wine.

Sister James reports these findings to Sister Aloysius and the battle is taken to a whole new level. Sister Aloysius accuses Father Flynn of the unthinkable. She believes that Father Flynn has taken advantage of a boy in a tough social situation for devious purposes. Father Flynn denies these charges stating that he has compassion on the boy due to the circumstances that he was facing.

Sister Aloysius is "certain" and says she has her "certainty" that there has been an improper relationship between the boy and Father Flynn. There is only one little, tiny problem. There is no evidence.

What becomes of this is a dramatic battle, filled with incredible tension, created by some of the best actors/actresses in the world. There probably was not a better acted film last year with Philip Seymour Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Amy Adams and a rousing performance by Viola Davis.

The movie is based upon John Patrick Shanley's Pulitizer and Tony award winning play. He has successfully directed the piece to a motion picture adaptation.

Some viewers may be frustrated, in the end, by the ambiguity. The point of this film is not "did he do it or not". The theme of the film is faith and doubt and the relationship between the two. In regard to the situation that arises, all the characters believe things and are certain about the things that they believe. But are their beliefs accurate?

The nature of faith implies some element of doubt, does it not? The term "leap of faith" implicates a risk. Everyone has faith: the Christian, the atheist, the Buddhist, the Hindu, etc. Therefore, everyone has doubt...to one degree or another.

The unknown writer of Hebrews says, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Other translations replace "certain" with "confident". Indeed, the difference between certain and confident is massive.

This unnerving principle is at the heart of "Doubt". The movie comes highly recommended.