When in Doubt...

Just caught Meryl Streep in DOUBT, which is a brilliant adaptation of John Patrick Shanley's Broadway play. Without giving anything away, this film explores the suspicions of Streep's Sister Aloysious towards her parish's new priest, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman. The allegations against the Father's relationship to the school's sole African American student are certainly inflammatory, and essentially cannot be proven. The film unfolds like a thriller, with Streep injecting her role of the chillingly accusatory Sister with an aversion to the modernization of both the Catholic church as well as the country in general with enough no-nonsense pluck to make her almost endearing. There are laugh out loud moments that might not have read that way on the printed page, so effective is Streep's portrayal. The shadings and nuances of her Sister Aloysious allow for the possibility that perhaps her suspicions are less about Father Fleming, and have more to do with her own resistance to the change that was happening throughout the church as well as the country during it's 1960s setting. Indeed, the little boy at the center of this maelstrom is isolated due not just to his shyness or his newness to the school, but because of the color of his skin. Any affection towards a figure who shows him any sign of empathy or friendship would only be natural, and the forward-thinking Father counters his nemesis' accusations with some pointed (and perhaps valid) barbs of his own. The showdown between these acting titans is nothing less than spectacular, and the script is crafted in a way that, despite what we believe we know to be true, there is always room for Doubt. The climax of the piece reveals that doubt exists in many forms, and in many arenas. While there is no "Happy" ending, per se, the seemingly appropriate resolution still leaves Streep, and the audience, ultimately devastated. And THAT is Doubt's greatest impact. Amy Adams, as the idealistic young nun who gets a crash course in the cruel way the real world can operate, serves as an excellent foil to both Father Flynn as well as Sister Aloysious. Extra points for opening up a stagey theater piece with interesting set pieces, cimematography, and brilliant performances.