In 1964 Brooklyn, Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep) is the principal of the Catholic school and resistant to the progressive attitude of the parish priest Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), and she allows that to lead to suspicions about the relationship between Flynn and the only black male student in the school. Another nun, Sister James (Amy Adams), struggles to retain her certainty amidst the power play between these two forceful presences.

CRITIQUE

The Catholic Church, with all its rituals and iconography, is rife with cinematic possibility, and the topic of religion itself offers forth timeless themes. Not too long ago, numerous scandals concerning priests abusing children in decades past rocked Catholicism; now a film jumps off from that suspicion to explore deeper issues. Doubt provokes a lot of thought and discussion through it’s excellent script and outstanding performances.

I suppose the first point to make about the story here is that there is no clear cut answer to the central conflict. It is up to each audience member to decide within themselves whether they think Sister Aloysius is correct in her accusations against Father Flynn or not. The battle of wills between the two, along with the dialogue it prompts, is the true point of the narrative.

Shanley, as a writer, shows confidence by doing this. I really like some of the other qualities of Shanley’s writing, too. Wind is an excellent metaphor he employs throughout the script, and it goes without saying that the characters he has crafted are compelling; the audience wouldn’t get so caught up in the struggle between them if they weren’t. The supporting characters, particularly Sister James and Mrs. Miller, are just as memorable.

Of course, the actors playing these roles here are no small part of their success on screen. Four Academy Award nominations attest to that. Streep and Hoffman are also already winners of Oscars and they are perfectly matched to go head to head. Streep has a great line where she talks about how in ancient Sparta they solved their differences by who shouted the loudest. Though the two do yell at different times, their performances are good examples of how that line is not true. Adams once again proves how adept she is at conveying innocence on screen, while Davis is just stunning in her one long scene.

As a director, Shanley also shows some originality with camera work, using Dutch angles every once in a while for maximum effect. He also clearly has a feel for recreating authentic time and place. The performances, direction, and script of Doubt simply draw the audience in, entertaining them and making them think.

THE VIDEO

Doubt is presented in anamorphic widescreen. The stark colors of the theatrical presentation are perfectly preserved in this transfer.

THE AUDIO

Doubt is presented in English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround. This is a good presentation with solid audio coming from all speakers. There is also a French language track and Spanish subtitles available.

THE EXTRAS

Doubt: From Stage to Screen: This extra is the behind-the-scenes doc that every DVD seems to have now. It is a good example of one, full of interesting interviews with cast and crew. Shanley provides particular insight, as he was the author of the source play (which won a Pulitzer for drama) as well as the screenwriter and director of this film. Best of all is probably the bits we get from the woman who was the basis for Sister James, who praises Adams, her portrayer, and the interview Shanley conducts with Streep. Definitely watch this bonus feature.

Scoring Doubt: Composer Howard Shore gives an extended interview about his work in the film, which makes up this doc. He discusses what working with Shanley is like, and I especially like when he touches on the different themes in his score, such as the one for Father Flynn and the one for the wind in the movie.

The Cast of Doubt: Dave Karger, a writer at Entertainment Weekly, leads the four main cast members in a discussion of the film and their characters. The topics range from seeing the play beforehand to how Streep and Adams felt about the less-involved hairstyling for their nun characters. All four actors strike the audience as intelligent and they can also be funny. This is a nice extra too.

The Sisters of Charity: Four nuns of the Sisters of Charity, the order featured in the film (including the real Sister James) discuss the history of their order and their experiences as nuns, particularly after the modernization of the Catholic Church in 1962. The most fascinating part of this extra is when the origin of the habit is explained.

Audio Commentary: Director Shanley gives a solo track here and it is an above-average one. There is a consistent stream of engaging talk from him, especially about all the influences from his real boyhood that he put into the play and film. Usual things like the various locations and shooting details are here, as well as interesting tidbits like the fact that blue screen is used in the film in a shot to show the inside of Sister Aloysius’ office when Meryl opens the door to it because the hallway outside was a different location.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Doubt has exceptional writing and performances, as well as direction that engages from beginning to end. The film is a truly good example of a play adaptation. The extra features on this disc add value to a purchase, as well. Even if you just rent, many will find watching Doubt a memorable experience.