Doubt Movie Review Articles and Interaction
"Doubt" Movie Available on Amazon
5 Stars
This is a very difficult movie to review. I was raised Catholic and I was very sad to learn about the scandals of sexual abuse in the 1960's through the 1970's. One thing that I will say is that Meryl Streep plays an awesome roll as the Principal of the Catholic school. Since I spent most of my childhood in the 1980's in Catholic school, I can tell you that her character was very accurate.
When I went to school, the nuns used to hit us with a ruler, make us wear a "Dunce" hat and sit in the corner, and many other forms of corporal punishment whenever we misbehaved. Although they were rough, I don't really feel violated or "abused". In fact, I think that I have gained a certain respect towards others, due to my upbringing.
Now, back to the controversial movie. It’s 1964, St. Nicholas Catholic Church in the Bronx, NY. Basically, there is a priest, Father Flynn (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman) who is the headmaster of the school and is the Pastor of the church. Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Streep) is the principal of the school and she begins to see changes in the boys at the school. She watches their interactions with Fr. Flynn and begins to suspect that something is wrong.
Sister Aloysius is approached by another nun, Sister James (Amy Adams) that she suspects that something is wrong when her student, Donald Miller (Joseph Foster) returns to class with alcohol on his breath. I will also add that Donald is the first (and only) African American student in the school. Sister Aloysius begins to monitor the interaction between Donald Miller and some of the other students.
Convinced that something is going on, the two Sisters approach Father Flynn and try to get him to confess that he is having relations with Donald. Father Flynn denies any wrongdoing and due to her naivety, Sister James believes him. Sister Aloysius, however, is not so naive.
After monitoring Father Flynn for a while, Sister Aloysius meets with the priest and gives him an ultimatum. Although he doesn't admit to anything, he does request a change of churches. Unfortunately, this is how the church dealt with such scandals; they hide the truth and send the offending priests to other parishes.
Now when I was a kid I was an alter boy and I spent a lot of times with the priests in my church. Luckily I was not among the many victims of the horrible crime. I both pray for and feel for all those who were affected by this dark age within the Catholic Church.
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