Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Another overated film. Don't believe the hype.Poor ending. Nobody even talks to the boy? Evidence? Police? If you want to waste your time put it on.

In 1964 the winds of change are sweeping through Sister Aloysius' (Meryl Streep) St. Nicholas school. Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a charismatic priest, is advocating reform of the school's strict customs, and the first black student has just been accepted. When a fellow nun (Amy Adams) tells Sister Aloysius that Father Flynn may be paying too much personal attention to the student, Sister Aloysius begins a personal crusade against the priest -- despite her lack of evidence. A Catholic grade school could seem like a hermetically sealed world in 1964. That's the case with St. Nicholas in the Bronx, ruled by the pathologically severe principal Sister Aloysius, who keeps the students and nuns under her thumb and is engaged in an undeclared war with the new parish priest. Their issues may seem to center around the reforms of Vatican II, then still under way, with Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) as the progressive, but for the nun I believe it's more of a power struggle. The pope's infallibility seems, in her case, to have descended to the parish level. Some will say the character of Sister Aloysius, played without a hint of humor . Sister Aloysius of "Doubt" hates all inroads of the modern world, including ballpoint pens. This is accurate. We practiced our penmanship with fountain pens, carefully heading every page "JMJ" -- for Jesus, Mary and Joseph, of course. Under Aloysius' command is the sweet young Sister James, whose experience in the world seems limited to what she sees out the convent window. Gradually during the autumn semester, the situation develops. There is one African-American student at St. Nicholas, Donald Miller, and Father Flynn encourages him in sports and appoints him as an altar boy. This is all proper. Then Sister James notes that the priest summons the boy to the rectory alone. She decides this is improper behavior, and informs Aloysius, whose eyes narrow like a beast of prey. Father Flynn's fate is sealed. But "Doubt" is not intended as a docudrama about possible sexual abuse. It is about the title word, doubt, in a world of certainty. For Aloysius, Flynn is certainly guilty. That the priest seems innocent, that Sister James comes to believe she was mistaken in her suspicions, means nothing. Flynn knows a breath of scandal would destroy his career. And that is the three-way standoff we watch unfolding with precision and tension. Something else happens. Donald's mother fears her son will be expelled from the school. He has been accused of drinking the altar wine. Worse, of being given it by Father Flynn. She appeals directly to Sister Aloysius. It lasts about 10 minutes, but it is the emotional heart and soul of "Doubt". Doubt. It is the subject of the sermon Father Flynn opens the film with. Doubt was coming into the church and the United States in 1964. After the assassination of Kennedy and the beginnings of Vietnam, doubt had undermined American certainty in general. What could you be sure of? What were the circumstances? The motives? The conflict between Aloysius and Flynn is the conflict between old and new, between status and change, between infallibility and uncertainty. And Shanley leaves us doubting. "Doubt" has exact and merciless writing, powerful performances and timeless relevance. It causes us to start thinking with the first shot, and we never stop. Think how rare that is in a film. I came to a different conclusion seeing this film. The entitled "doubt" was not about Father Flynn's guilt (which I believe becomes apparent toward the end of the film). The "doubt" is manifested in Sister Aloysius as she comes to doubt the institution of the Catholic Church she has devoted her life to. Instead of getting rid of the priest, the church covers up the crime. I think that would be enough to cause anyone to have "doubts". This was the last straw that caused this nun to have an emotional break down, reducing a once rigid woman certain in her beliefs to a sobbing and lost wreck of a human being. To answer the obvious mystery in the film - whether Father had some sinful (or criminal) relationship with a twelve year boy? The one word answer on the platter is 'Yes'. I don't think the plot of this movie made a lot of sense for its 1964 setting. Would a nun in 1964 really suspect a priest of sexual abuse based on nothing more than a shirt being placed in a locker? In 2018, after two decades of priest abuse stories in the media, sure; however, in 1964, at a time when no one would dare criticize a man of the cloth, I have my doubts. Either way, I did enjoy the film and thought it was well-acted.

In 1964 Father Flynn, a parish priest in a Catholic church in the Bronx, reads a sermon about doubt and its unifying power - because everyone doubts. Soon he will have to test his theses in practice. The parish school where he teaches is dominated by stern Sister Aloysius. The suspicion is that Father Flynn, a kindhearted humanist with too long nails, is in an immoral-intimate relationships with the only Afro-American and the first Afro-American pupil of the school, runs his Sister Aloysius to action. Sister Aloysius doesn't have any evidence but is not doubt a burden that any person who chooses an action for the glory of his ideals should bear? The action takes place in autumn and winter and the weather we see outside (grey skies, a thunderstorm, snow) seems to reflect the characters' emotions. Although the film is set in the sixties, the style of decor of the rooms, and most of the furniture, suggests a date several decades before that, adding to the atmosphere of intellectual conservatism. The theme of doubt runs through the film. It opens with Father Flynn giving a sermon on the nature of doubt and concluding that like faith, it can be a unifying force. It ends, after Flynn has been forced to resign, with Aloysius admitting in tears to Sister James, "I have such doubts". I was disappointed by the ending which seems too abrupt and does not clarify the nature of Aloysius's doubts. Did she mean doubts about her faith in general, or doubts about Flynn's guilt? Or doubts about the justice of a God who can allow a guilty man to go unpunished? (After the resignation Flynn was transferred by the Church authorities to another, more prestigious, parish; effect a promotion). It is certainly true that in some cases an outward view of certainty can hide inner doubts and conflicts, but as Aloysius has still appeared a person of firm convictions, untroubled by doubts of any kind, this sudden, unexplained revelation comes as a shock. The movie's biggest strength is the acting. All three leading actors did a fine job and this was necessary to carry a film that has no special effects, explosions or love scenes. The vagueness of the film is also a strength. After all, the film gets the audience thinking and yet there is definitely no clear answer as to what really occurred in the film. There is lots of room to foster discussions and debate. As usual, Meryl Streep eclipsed everyone and everything with her unlimited talent. She really succeeded in acting the role of a strong-willed women. But Philip Seymour Hoffman also played very emotionally. The episode in the office where the two opponents grabbed in a verbal battle made a great impression on me. I was delighted with their play very much. Viola Davis appeared only for a few minutes, but showed a drama that many actresses will not play in their entire life. And Amy Adams is very convincing in the image of a naive and meek sister. In general, excellent actors, a good story and a pleasant film that leaves an aftertaste. "Doubt" is a doubt as it did not give us an answer to the question: Who was ultimately wrong? And we do not understand who is "bad". Is it the priest with greasy eyes, who, nevertheless, is truly appreciated and respected by the downtrodden boy? Is it the nun who embodies righteousness in its pure form and at the same time confesses that her soul is not at all pure? And who is "good"? Let the viewer decide.

I am absolutely impressed with the way my brain is organized. Faith is a very meticulous issue for me. I try to avoid this subject in real life communication. When it comes to movies and TV series about belief and religion, I just can't withstand the desire to watch it. Doubt, both directed and written by John Patrick Snanley, depicts the situation happening in the parish school, where a rigorous principal, Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep), together with a young teacher, Sister James (Amy Adams), are starting a crusade against Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) whom they beleive might have close relationship with one of the students.The movie begins with Father Flynn (Hoffman) delievering a sermon about doubt. This monologue reveals the main message of the movie. "Doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty" So, the audience is given the answer to the riddle just from the start and our aim is just to follow the autthor's and director's storyline and see how far it will go.I can't but pay a great respect to the actors starring in the movie. Meryl Streep did a marvelous job potraying a very dubious character. Her acting was convincing enough to leave no doubt in my heart. I am not much of Amy Adams' lover, but I did enjoy her in this movie. I was deeply impressed with the way she uses facial expression to expose her emotions. The scene of the dinner, where Sister Beauvier (Meryl Streep) and Sister James (Amy Adams) interract without any words, is a good example of two talented actresses showing there capacity to uncover their feelings without verbal communication. I was also fascinated with the starring of Philip Hoffman as Father Flynn. I think he did what he was supposed to, (spolier alert!) he practically made us fall into doubt about him being involved in a relationship with the boy. But most of all I was smitten with the acting of magnificent Viola Davis. Being a huge fan of her in TV series "How To Get Away With Murder", I wasn't surprised by her outstanding but short performance in this movie. She makes us believe every word she produces. She makes us sympathize with her. She makes us understand what she is trying to say. She makes us doubt. Two scenes. 10 minutes on the screen. And such a great impact.Everything that is connected with director work is perfect. Slow movies are precious. Such films let you sneak into every little detail and give you plenty of time to contemplate. Scenes when the camera is still. Perfect. Long monologues. Perfect. No further quesion, Your Honor, John Shanley.Overall, this is a great movie that leaves no one without his ot her personal opinion. The main question remains unanswered, unsolved, covered with mystery. It's up to us to decide whether to blame the person, to sympathize with him or to stay on neutral side. But after wathcing this movie you will have no doubt that DOUBT is as mighty as certainty. Probably, it's even more vigorous as certainty has only one stream, doubt has millions of them. And you have no slightest idea of which one it's going to choose next.