Thursday, February 19, 2009

Movie Review: Doubt

DOUBT
Main Players:
Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, et al.
Calling the shots: John Patrick Shanley
Running time: 104mins
What's it about? Set in 1964, Doubt centres on a nun who confronts a priest after suspecting him of abusing a black student. He denies the charges, and much of the play’s quick-fire dialogue tackles themes of religion, morality and authority. - from imdb.com

What did I think? I’m not sure I like this movie. And that could be because it felt more like a play than a movie. It’s definitely a picture that relies heavily on the performances of its cast, as the interaction between them is what drives this movie. And in that sense this movie has succeeded by casting some fantastic actors.

The movie was written for the screen and directed by the man who wrote the play itself (Shanley). You can’t help but feel that he needed to give the directing duties, at least, to an established director. As I mentioned, it feels very much like a play and it isn’t helped by the direction. Unlike Frost/Nixon which was also based on a play, there is too much emphasis on the dialogue between characters rather than each scene as a whole.

The performances are outstanding, if not all that spectacular, as each play characters that seem to come easy to them. They all definitely deserve their nominations for Oscars but I doubt any of them will win…no puns intended. Streep is in full flight bitch mode and only someone of Hoffman’s caliber can stand toe-to-toe, though at times he is outshone. Amy Adams plays the naïve young nun well and Viola Davis as the conflicted mother.

Without the performances though, the film doesn’t have much to stand on. Once the suspicion is raised, it becomes a battle between a head strong nun and a legitimately caring priest. We never truly find out if he did it or not, but that never is the issue here. The film tries to state the power of having “doubt” about anything you believe in, be that a person, religion, or otherwise.

It’s a message that gets through but you really don’t see the point of it. Appreciate this for what it is. A strong character driven play with some impressive performances and you might enjoy it. Otherwise, there’s not much to take note here. A good piece of work for all involved, but nothing they will be remembered for.

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