Poignant, Thought-Provoking, Riveting!!!!
Added 11/24/2009
As with all art forms, the perspective bought into the mix totally defines the impact. This was an excellent screen adaptation of the award-winning play by director, John Patrick Shanley which ultimately resulted in a uniquely liberating, somewhat painful, yet truly thought-provoking viewing experience. Kudos goes to the principal players, Meryl Streep, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis and Joseph Foster, all of whom gave wrenching award-worthy performances.
The story is set in the mid-sixties, not long after the assassination of JFK. A Catholic school in the Bronx accepts its first black student, Donald Miller, beautifully portrayed by Joseph Foster. The priest, wonderfully realized by Phillip Seyour Hoffman, is truly empathetic and realizing what a struggle it must be for the student, keeps an eye on him to make sure he adjusts well to this new and very intricate situation. Because of his attention, one sister, a very effective Amy Adams, initially becomes slightly suspicious of his motives and, unfortunately, reports her suspicions to the principal, an exceedingly pedagogical nun, exquisitely played by Meryl Streep. She, of course, confronts the priest with her suspicions which he vehemently denies and she steadfastly refuses to believe. She even confronts the boy's mother, portrayed by Viola Davis who gives a wrenching performance. The encounter between these two is as taut and revealing as those between the accusing nun and the outraged priest. The overall dialogue is crisp, biting, poignant and positively riveting.
Certain aspects of this whole scenario evoked poignant memories making it rather easy for me to relate to. Moreover, certain revelations the mother made to the nun re the boy's home life raised VERY serious questions. These questions will be at the focal point of any discussions about the play for the simple reason the author wisely neither confirmed or denied those suspicions which, obviously, was pivotal to the whole theme. Any "doubts" you find yourself faced with while watching this further fuels the profound impact the film makes because in the final analysis, it will be up to the viewer to draw his/her own conclusions - as well it should be. The ending is little short of devastating.
With such a riveting and important play being realized by a positively flawless cast, this could hardly miss. Just eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeescellent. I hiiiiiiiiihgly recommend!!!!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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VERY INTERESTING MOVIE
Added 11/13/2009
I ENJOYED THE MOVIE. IT TOOK TOO LONG TO GET GOOD. I THOUGHT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE SUSPENCEFUL.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Very Good Acting
Added 11/12/2009
This is a good movie and I originally saw it at a theatre. When it came out on BluRay, I wanted a copy of it for my collection. I recommend it.
Mickey
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Stunning!
Added 10/24/2009
Wow, I am late to watch this movie, but wow! I had no idea that this movie would be so good. There have been so many mixed reviews that I shied away, but now that I have finally seen it I am dumbfounded. The level of acting in this movie was astounding! I felt for the characters and they sucked me into thier story. Now I can understand why a lot of people will dislike this movie, because it is a very melancholy movie, BUT the depth of the story just enchanted me. I like the fact that story is based around doubt, because if you think about it, haven;t we all accused someone unjustly because we are certain when it might not be true? I guess for me this story just hit a note in my heart. This movie will be on my top for a long time to come!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Not worth the media space it is printed on
Added 10/12/2009
Yes harsh, and I love Hoffman and Streep, but this movie completely misses. I will begin by saying doubt is usually a process implying a struggle of ideas over time. Never mind me the corny powerful wintery storms that appear exactly when the movie presents key conflicts of traditionalism vs. progressivism and the struggle between Sister Aloysius Beauvier and Father Flynn. Yes, I will overlook that if there were any real struggle of ideas or important presentations of movements through the balance of this film. As the movie progressed I was expecting to see something far deeper than Sister Aloysius Beauvier's mission to remove Father Flynn from the parish due to his progressive practices, let alone possible pediphilia. Instead we see her succeed in her selfish endeavor only to later fall into despair as she realizes her Catholic faith has been challenged if not lost altogether. This is shallow because it ends just there. Missed was an opportunity to depict a great struggle of doubt vs faith illustrated through the lifeless practice of the old perfect virtue vs. the progressive breakthrough of human acknowledgment. I journeyed through the movie anticipating at some turn a corridor of profound depth through the simple discovery of compassion, tolerance, and charity. In contrast the makers of this movie passed on as deep what is really extremely shallow. The movie ended with no examen of consciousness, no self discovery, not even a personal challenge to their vocational choices. Rather instead the movie just ends with the fighter taken a dive in the first round after a long buildup, now roll the credits.
1 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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Poignant, Thought-Provoking, Riveting!!!!
Added 11/24/2009
As with all art forms, the perspective bought into the mix totally defines the impact. This was an excellent screen adaptation of the award-winning play by director, John Patrick Shanley which ultimately resulted in a uniquely liberating, somewhat painful, yet truly thought-provoking viewing experience. Kudos goes to the principal players, Meryl Streep, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis and Joseph Foster, all of whom gave wrenching award-worthy performances.
The story is set in the mid-sixties, not long after the assassination of JFK. A Catholic school in the Bronx accepts its first black student, Donald Miller, beautifully portrayed by Joseph Foster. The priest, wonderfully realized by Phillip Seyour Hoffman, is truly empathetic and realizing what a struggle it must be for the student, keeps an eye on him to make sure he adjusts well to this new and very intricate situation. Because of his attention, one sister, a very effective Amy Adams, initially becomes slightly suspicious of his motives and, unfortunately, reports her suspicions to the principal, an exceedingly pedagogical nun, exquisitely played by Meryl Streep. She, of course, confronts the priest with her suspicions which he vehemently denies and she steadfastly refuses to believe. She even confronts the boy's mother, portrayed by Viola Davis who gives a wrenching performance. The encounter between these two is as taut and revealing as those between the accusing nun and the outraged priest. The overall dialogue is crisp, biting, poignant and positively riveting.
Certain aspects of this whole scenario evoked poignant memories making it rather easy for me to relate to. Moreover, certain revelations the mother made to the nun re the boy's home life raised VERY serious questions. These questions will be at the focal point of any discussions about the play for the simple reason the author wisely neither confirmed or denied those suspicions which, obviously, was pivotal to the whole theme. Any "doubts" you find yourself faced with while watching this further fuels the profound impact the film makes because in the final analysis, it will be up to the viewer to draw his/her own conclusions - as well it should be. The ending is little short of devastating.
With such a riveting and important play being realized by a positively flawless cast, this could hardly miss. Just eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeescellent. I hiiiiiiiiihgly recommend!!!!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
VERY INTERESTING MOVIE
Added 11/13/2009
I ENJOYED THE MOVIE. IT TOOK TOO LONG TO GET GOOD. I THOUGHT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE SUSPENCEFUL.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
Very Good Acting
Added 11/12/2009
This is a good movie and I originally saw it at a theatre. When it came out on BluRay, I wanted a copy of it for my collection. I recommend it.
Mickey
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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