Title : Doubt
Genres: Drama, Adaptation and Politics/Religion
Release Date: December 12th, 2008 (limited)
Distributors: Miramax Films
U.S. Box Office: $26,753,136
Starring: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis, Alice Drummond
Directed by: John Patrick Shanley
Synopsis :
Set in 1964 at a Catholic church in the Bronx, the film opens with Father Flynn (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) giving a sermon on the nature of doubt, noting that, like faith, it can be a unifying force. That evening, Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep), the strict headmistress of the attached school, discusses the sermon with her fellow Sisters of Charity of New York nuns. She asks if anyone has observed unusual behavior to give Father Flynn cause for preaching about doubt, and instructs them to keep their eyes open for any such behavior.
Sister James (Amy Adams), a young and naive teacher, observes the closeness between Father Flynn and Donald Miller, the school's only African American student and an altar boy. One day during class, Sister James receives a call in her class asking for Donald Miller to meet Father Flynn in the rectory. When he returns, Donald is distraught and Sister James notices the smell of alcohol on his breath. Later, while her students are learning a dance, she sees Father Flynn placing a white shirt in Donald's locker. On guard for unusual behavior, Sister James reveals her suspicions to Sister Aloysius.
Under the pretext of discussing problems with the school's Christmas play, Sisters Aloysius and James confront Father Flynn with their suspicions that his relationship with Donald may be inappropriate. Several times, Father Flynn asks them to leave the matter alone as a private issue between the boy and himself but Sister Aloysius persists. The priest relents, revealing that Donald had been caught drinking altar wine. He had agreed to protect the student and allow him to remain an altar boy provided that no one else discovered his transgression. Having now been forced to reveal the truth, Father Flynn advises the nuns that he is disappointed in the way they handled this and that he will need to dismiss Donald as an altar boy.
Initially, Sister James is relieved and convinced of Father Flynn's innocence, but Sister Aloysius' belief that he has behaved inappropriately with the boy is unshakeable. Sister James later confronts Father Flynn about the shirt she saw him leaving in Donald's locker, having not revealed this detail to Sister Aloysius. They discuss his relationship with the boy and Sister James' doubts are assuaged.
Sister Aloysius sends for Donald Miller's mother to reveal her suspicions. Mrs. Miller (Viola Davis) surprises Sister Aloysius by stating that she should not pursue the matter further and that he only has to last until the end of the school year before he goes on to attend high school. Mrs. Miller believes her son to be gay. To protect him from an abusive father, she asks that the matter be dropped.
Despite having no evidence and no support from Donald's mother, Sister Aloysius demands that Father Flynn tell the truth or she will go to his superiors. Father Flynn repeats that there is no illicit relationship, but Sister Aloysius says she knows that he has a history of problems, having moved to three different parishes in five years. She mentions contacting a nun at one of Father Flynn's prior churches who corroborated her suspicions. Father Flynn is furious that she has gone outside the chain of command by contacting a nun rather than the church's priest. Sister Aloysius demands that he resign. Unable to stand up to her willingness to destroy his character, he relents.
Following his final sermon, the nuns sit together in the church garden. Sister Aloysius tells Sister James that although Father Flynn has left, he has been given a more prestigious parish with its parochial school, in effect a promotion. She goes on to reveal that she lied about speaking to a nun at Father Flynn's former church. Repeating a line from earlier in the film that "In the pursuit of wrongdoing, one steps away from God," she adds that there is also a price. Aloysius breaks down in tears and says to Sister James, "I have such doubts."
Sister James (Amy Adams), a young and naive teacher, observes the closeness between Father Flynn and Donald Miller, the school's only African American student and an altar boy. One day during class, Sister James receives a call in her class asking for Donald Miller to meet Father Flynn in the rectory. When he returns, Donald is distraught and Sister James notices the smell of alcohol on his breath. Later, while her students are learning a dance, she sees Father Flynn placing a white shirt in Donald's locker. On guard for unusual behavior, Sister James reveals her suspicions to Sister Aloysius.
Under the pretext of discussing problems with the school's Christmas play, Sisters Aloysius and James confront Father Flynn with their suspicions that his relationship with Donald may be inappropriate. Several times, Father Flynn asks them to leave the matter alone as a private issue between the boy and himself but Sister Aloysius persists. The priest relents, revealing that Donald had been caught drinking altar wine. He had agreed to protect the student and allow him to remain an altar boy provided that no one else discovered his transgression. Having now been forced to reveal the truth, Father Flynn advises the nuns that he is disappointed in the way they handled this and that he will need to dismiss Donald as an altar boy.
Initially, Sister James is relieved and convinced of Father Flynn's innocence, but Sister Aloysius' belief that he has behaved inappropriately with the boy is unshakeable. Sister James later confronts Father Flynn about the shirt she saw him leaving in Donald's locker, having not revealed this detail to Sister Aloysius. They discuss his relationship with the boy and Sister James' doubts are assuaged.
Sister Aloysius sends for Donald Miller's mother to reveal her suspicions. Mrs. Miller (Viola Davis) surprises Sister Aloysius by stating that she should not pursue the matter further and that he only has to last until the end of the school year before he goes on to attend high school. Mrs. Miller believes her son to be gay. To protect him from an abusive father, she asks that the matter be dropped.
Despite having no evidence and no support from Donald's mother, Sister Aloysius demands that Father Flynn tell the truth or she will go to his superiors. Father Flynn repeats that there is no illicit relationship, but Sister Aloysius says she knows that he has a history of problems, having moved to three different parishes in five years. She mentions contacting a nun at one of Father Flynn's prior churches who corroborated her suspicions. Father Flynn is furious that she has gone outside the chain of command by contacting a nun rather than the church's priest. Sister Aloysius demands that he resign. Unable to stand up to her willingness to destroy his character, he relents.
Following his final sermon, the nuns sit together in the church garden. Sister Aloysius tells Sister James that although Father Flynn has left, he has been given a more prestigious parish with its parochial school, in effect a promotion. She goes on to reveal that she lied about speaking to a nun at Father Flynn's former church. Repeating a line from earlier in the film that "In the pursuit of wrongdoing, one steps away from God," she adds that there is also a price. Aloysius breaks down in tears and says to Sister James, "I have such doubts."
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