It is always a risk when writers their own work, as some playwrights do not travel well from stage, screen. Aided by Roger Deakin, of No Country for Old Men fame, which vividly captures the look of a fierce winter Bronx moonstruck's John Patrick Shanley pulls it off. When Doubt is a dialogue heavy experience, like The Crucible and 12 Angry Men, the words and ideas are never boring, and a perfect cast makes every one count. Established in 1964 and loosely inspired by actual events, Shanley focuses on St. Nicholas, a Catholic primary school which has its first African-American student, Donald Miller (Joseph Foster), who serves as altar boy to warm Father Flynn (Phillip Seymour Hoffman). Donald May not friends, but that does not worry his mother, Mrs Miller (Viola Davis in a scene steal performance), because its only concern is that her son a good education. When Sister James (Amy Adams) notices Flynn concentrate more of his attention to Miller than the other boys, she cites the case of Beau Four Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep), the school of hard principal. Looking for an excuse for the progressive priest from its tradition-minded organization, Sister Aloysius sets out to destroy him, and if that means ruining Donald's future in the process - so be it. Of course, it is the least sympathetic fighter in this fight, but Streep invests her disciplinarian with white and unexpected flashes of empathy. Of all the characters she played Sister Aloysius comes closest to caricature, but it never feels like a cartoon, just a sad woman willing to do anything to keep what little they have before the forces of change to her - and everything what they represent - unnecessary.
- Actors: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams
- Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC, Widescreen
- Language: Unknown (Dolby Digital 5.1)
- Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
- Studio: Miramax
- DVD Release Date: April 7, 2009
- Run Time: 104 minutes
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