Screenplays adapted from stage plays do not usually display and flaunt flashy technicalities on the film, what they ostentatiously create for themselves however is a gaudy treasure of film actors performances. These films talk ravely, defiling any human attitudes, behaviors, and ideologies just as from where and what form they are borrowing the content. What films from theater can develop is the character's proximity to the much desired empathy from the audience through what films have and theater don’t—editing.
Doubt has really been interesting for two reasons: superb acting and the compelling conflicts. Meryl Streep plays Sister Aloysious Beauvier, a strict and conformist principal of St. Nicholas Church School. This Oscar-winning actress verifies all her awards and nominations under her name worthy of every single dime by rendering a frightening, unapproachable, austere and bigoted character. In fact, I even think that Streep has surpassed what Kate Winslet delivered in “The Reader” which for me, should mean another Oscar win for Meryl and none for Kate yet. He is just so dexterous, satisfying, and most importantly—true, all throughout the film. Philip Seymour Hoffman plays Father Flynn, the beloved priests who Sister Aloysius insistently accuse of infringements, and implicitly personally dislikes. Hoffman, another Oscar-winning actor for his very memorable acting in “Capote” made Streep’s job and internalization very tractable. His pleasing aura gets more and more noble as his lovely character is being indicted, an artistic phenomenon only few are capable of. His voice carries with it a thundering authority that resounds through anxiety and fury in the most critical scenes of him with Streep. Amy Adams plays Sister James, an uncorrupted young nun who is tattered between the now loathsome result of what she innocently surmises and of the hopeful redemption of kindness and of elusive truth. Adams is tremendously mesmerizing. I succumb to her purity in acting. I do not wish to overstate, but she is really a conspicuous gem that shimmers alongside the veterans Streep and Hoffman. This demonstrates how adequate the screenplay is for no actors can absolutely be good out of a bad script.
The film is very character-driven and very conflict-based—very much a characteristic of plays. Doubt is made up of a human pageant of instinct which is an undoubtful uncertainty, of wishful judgment which is a doubtful uncertainty, and of the repressed truth which is an undoubtful certainty. This convolution of human disposition in a religious atmosphere comprises the good structure of its titular ‘Doubt’. Though it is not clear whether father Flynn is really the man that Sister Aloysius thinks he is, its resolution constrains us to muse over the severe nun bursting out in tears telling she has doubts of what she thought and ponder about the impeccant priest’s freeness from the tainted accusations. The film’s contents are fully honest and scrutinizing creating a paradox of honesty in a surmised foundation. This paradox surprisingly is present in every human beings in the world whether consciously or unconsciously and much as the film is concerned, it is one of the gravest loophole of our psyche.
Speaking of loopholes, I think that the underbearing part of Doubt is its vague and delayed establishment of the point of view and of the characters. Sister Aloysius only appeared after more than 15 minutes, as well as Father Flynn and Sister James. Given that the film is adapted from theater, we are expecting a lot of lengthy sequences that makes a couple of sequences look very long where we almost don’t keep in mind what previously established characters might be doing at the present time, or worse completely forget them and be surprised of their next appearance in the film. The film’s major objective and conflict only made sense only after 30 minutes or more, though it is forgivable by seeing brilliant actors on their top form even without any life-rending conflicts yet and you can also add tot hat a congruous cinematography of Roger Deakins, especially at the scenes at the church.
The film is a battlefield: first of creating an exceptional transformation of a stage play into silverscreen, which it kinda fell short of; and of a smashing, tenacious, and formidable personalities that Doubt absolutely achieves. Doubt, if not the best, is one of the best-acted Hollywood films just as much as I render it due.
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