A Doubtless Cinematic Victory

“In the pursuit of wrongdoing, one steps away from God,” are Sister Aloysius Beauvier’s (Meryl Streep) penultimate lines in writer and director John Patrick Shanley’s Oscar-nominated film, “Doubt,” based on his play.

They are almost immediately followed by a tearful confession, as – wracked by inner demons – she succumbs to the revelation of a haunting and mysterious truth: “I have doubts. I have such doubts.”

Written at the height of the Catholic priest sexual abuse scandal at the turn of the century, “Doubt” takes place at the St. Nicholas Church School in the fall of 1964, a time that saw the massive reforms stemming from the Vatican, leading some to praise the newly progressive path and others to condemn it.

An avid member of the former is Father Brendan Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a decidedly modern and beloved priest at the Bronx school, as is Sister James (Amy Adams), a newly-hired young nun, serving as a history teacher at the institution.

Sister Aloysius, on the other hand, despises them and Father Flynn with nearly the same passion. He has long fingernails, takes three sugars with his tea and likes Frosty, the Snowman. He staunchly believes that she lacks tolerance.

When Sister James naively comments on the closeness of Father Flynn and Donald Miller (Joseph Foster), the school’s only African American student, suspicious begin to arise about the nature of their relationship – particularly to Sister Aloysius and no one else, with Sister James engaging in a brief interlude.

Though she has no concrete evidence on the matter, she has her presumably excellent judge of character and enough circumstantial evidence to mentally indict him, which she will dutifully follow though to its judicial end.

Although no resolution comes, exposing either guilt or innocence, we do see a curiously familiar evolution in human behavior. In her crusade for justice and piety, Sister Aloysius breaks many cardinal rules of Christianity – “step away from God,” indeed.

Although the plot is certainly riveting and incredibly thought-provoking, the respective performances by the powerhouse cast are perhaps the best reason to see this tale of muddled accusation.

Streep is absolutely dynamic is the bullying nun at the head of Father Flynn’s crucifixion, possessing an enormous and occasionally intimidating wealth of layers. Although easily despicable throughout much of the film, we see a sporadic flicker of humanity beneath those cool and weathered blue orbs. Perhaps she truly does believe in the priest’s guilt, or maybe she is simply terrified of what he represents and its consequences.

The film is at its best, however, when featuring the dramatic repartee of its numerous talents. One such stunning example is in a scene with Viola Davis, who played the melancholy, though driven and loving mother of the student in question. So in touch with her role was Davis that she seemingly held the ability to move her audience through sheer will. العاب النت الحقيقيه With bitterly contagious tears that surely spread to her viewers, she captures the essence of the dilemma behind the scandal and leaves but one regret: that we see so little of her.

Predictably, Hoffman shines in his role as the sensitive priest, who may or may not be harboring a dark secret. لعبة بينغو With delivery traipsing the thread of subtlety and drama, he capitalizes conviction, easily convincing the audience of his sheer ability.

Sometime after Sisters James and Aloysius have their initial conversation about Father Flynn’s presumed transgressions, he delivers a sermon about gossip. Ridden with guilt, a young woman confesses to her priest about spreading slander about a man she hardly knew. He tells her to raise a pillow to her roof and stab it with a knife. The following day, he tells her to collect all the feathers that spread. bet365 arab It’s impossible, she insists. She does not know where they are. That, he tells her, is the nature of gossip.

And like the remnants of the pillow in the priest’s parable, the feathers of thought cast by “Doubt” sink into the conscious and unconscious mind, quick and altogether heedless of their task and destination.