Doubt

Review by Sean Lynch

If there is one thing movie-goers have been craving for leading into the Summer of big screen blockbusters, it's a good old-fashioned Catholic Church pedophile tale.

Hang on.... I mean CGI epic, yeah that's the one. Always seem to be getting the two confused!

It's 1964 as charismatic priest, Father Flynn, takes to the lectern to offer up some pearls of wisdom to his attentive parish. He talks of personal struggles, he talks of internal anguish, he talks of doubt.

He talks of how doubt can unite people just as strongly, if not more so, as faith.

Set at a Catholic school in the Bronx - ruled with an old fashioned "fear of God" iron fist thanks to it's Principal Sister Aloysius Beauvier -  Doubt centres on a nun (Meryl Streep) who grows suspicious when a priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman in a role he was born to play... you were thinking it too!) begins taking a little too much interest in the life of a young black student.

The schools only black student...

But when the hopelessly naive Sister James (Amy Adams) begins to share the guilt inducing suspicion, Sister Aloysius sets off on a personal crusade to unearth the truth and to expunge Flynn from the school.

But is it possible for one woman take on the almighty power of the corrupt Catholic Church and come out unscathed?

It's an odd task telling the sort of disturbing story we endure in Doubt.

The poor folks who were exposed to these circumstances in real life (and let's not beat around the bush, the sins of the Church in the last 50 years have now been widely confirmed) are hardly going to want to extract the memories from their own repressed minds - let alone watch it play out again on a Cinemaxx sized screen.

Meanwhile, those who were lucky enough to avoid being fiddled with by priests probably aren't too keen to find out what the experience is like either.

As overtly glossy and "Oscar-fied" as Doubt feels at times (you could swear you were watching the trailer for Kirk Lazeruth's Satan's Alley from Tropic Thunder) there is something that really draws the audience into the film, despite the fact it often suffers from that distinct Hallmark Movie Of The Week tone.

Aside from some stunning performances from Hoffman and Streep (who really take the movie to a higher level than it deserves - it's further proof that "acting" isn't just about reading lines) there is something about portions of the John Patrick Shanley penned screenplay that gives the audience plenty to think about.

For anyone who grew up in the Catholic system, and especially those who grew up to question it, will find that Doubt's approach will certainly hit home.

Much like Catholic teachings themselves, Doubt's story and message is one built on metaphors and analogies - more often than not leaving it up to the audience to dissect and contemplate in order to come the truth.

Not a definitive truth, but only what we perceive and believe - or don't believe - that truth or answer to be.

And that's where the brilliance of Doubt lies, in that it does lead the audience through the various stages of conviction.

There are parts early on in the film where the blood boils inside of you (despite not knowing the full story, just assuming the worst) - wanting desperately for justice to be served - only to be swayed towards that little ol' thing called 'doubt' not long after.

It's all quite clever really.

That said, there is all to often an undeniable stench of "Awards Acting" which seems to get in the way of ever really connecting 100% to the film.

As strange as it sounds, the look of the film sometimes feels a bit too spit-n-polished, which alerts you to the fact that you are "watching a movie". A little extra scratch and grain to the film sometimes does make a real difference to the experience, which is a scary thought as we embark on the digital film age.

Doubt does overcome it's various superficial flaws to deliver a touching and often emotionally gut-wrenching film, however, if it's harsh and unadulterated truth you're after - skip this in favour of the eye opening film Deliver Us From Evil.

3.5 out of 5

Doubt
Australian release: 15th January, 2009
Official Site: Doubt
Cast: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis, Lloyd Clay Brown
Director: John Patrick Shanley