DOUBT ****

In the last decade Meryl has been a singer, a fashion bitch, a lesbian and in Doubt, a nun. Each role fascinating, each role a perfect fit. With any movie staring Streep you know going in that even if the story lacks, Meryl will pull the slack.

Doubt is another stage production brought to the big screen just in time for Oscar consideration. After seeing the trailer for this film I was extremely interested in what will happen in this film. I was expecting drama, drama and more drama and that was definitely delivered.

It's 1964 at St. Nicholas Church in the Bronx. A very vibrant priest, Father Flynn played perfectly as always by Philip Symore Hoffman is trying to gradually undo the strict facade that Sister Aloysius Beauvier(Streep) has cemented into the students at the all boys school. As the story unfolds and we are introduced to Donald, the first black student at the school(remember it's 1964) we experience the unfriendly and much heated exchanges between Father Flynn and Sister Aloysius Beauvier. But when Sister James(played by Amy Adams with a sense of hopeful innocence) shares with Sister Aloysius her suspicion that Father Flynn is paying too much personal attention to Donald. This is where the doubt starts to play out and the acting chops of all involved are expressed. Sister A.B. demands answers and Father Flynn isn't giving much in return, creating even more doubt.

The movie continues with she said, he said until we reach a remarkable exchange between Sister A.B. and Donald's mother played by Viola Davis. I won't even try to explain the exchange, it's worth paying the 8 dollars just to see Viola Davis capture the true essence of mother in bedded with sadness, concern and shamefullness.

Doubt reminded me a lot of Note's of a Scandal from a couple years back. The momentum is accelerated perfectly and the story isn't spoon fed. This is stage director John Patrick Stanley's first stab at the helm of directing a movie and he brought his stage screenplay to the screen with great transition. The sets are limited and the look is as dark as a nuns habit.

Most adults who attened a private school will remember the moments of nuns and priest in charge. You all heard the stories of ruler marks, mouths washed out with soap and bloody shirts. Come to think of it, I had a 5th grade teacher who reminded me a lot of Sister Alyosius Beauvier, but without the horror stories. I'm sure the unfortunate ones who experienced this era will appreciate or flashback to what Streep and Hoffman are able to reinact so wonderfully

I was expecting a lot and experienced less. However less is more when the closing credits roll. Doubting the movie may have been exactly what the intention was.

STILL IN THEATERS