Caffeinated Clint
By Ashley Hillard
Set in the 60s, within the confines of a strict catholic school, “Doubt” tells of a magnetic priest, Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who while trying to turn turtle to the school’s strict customs, has a run-in with the iron-gloved principal of the school, the terrifying Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep).
Things are changing out there – the school has just accepted its first black student, Donald Miller, for starters – but Sister Aloyisus is not having a bar of it. And when the naïve and impressionable Sister James (Amy Adams) shares with Sister Aloysius her guilt–inducing inkling that Father Flynn is paying too much personal attention to Donald, Sister Aloysius sets off on a personal mission to have the-could-be-innocent-after-all father removed from the esteemed school.
I can’t say I’m disappointed that ”Doubt” was left pretty empty handed at the Oscars this year. Even with an amazing cast (Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams) this play did not translate well to the big screen. It is overly theatrical, with Dutch angles, dark and moody lighting and an open ending that left me wondering why I sat in the theater for two hours watching this story. John Patrick Shanley directed the film (and play), while I appreciate what he tried to do the movie felt as though they were gunning for an expected Oscar win and it just isn’t a strong enough film.
Extras
The bonus features on the DVD include a promo for a Blu-Ray player and high definition tv, great to see how they are working marketing in with film. You need the right products for great films, of course. Another promo is for Miramax, touting three decades of being the “leader in independent filmmaking.” Clips are shown from Pulp Fiction and other PRE-DISNEY era Miramax projects. Frustrating to watch considering how the Weinsteins were ousted from their own company, named after their parents, by Disney. Interesting plug from Miramax.
Also included in the bonus features is an interview with the cast (Philip Seymour Hoffman looks like a messy bear). Meryl talks with Shanley about how useful it was for her to interview and observe nuns to help her get into character. The best part of the bonus features is the interview with the Sisters of Charity, the nuns that inspired ”Doubt”. Their account of life at the convent is fascinating and worth watching.
