Doubt
Stream
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In 1964 Bronx, two Catholic school nuns question the new priest's ambiguous relationship with a troubled African-American student.
What critics thought
John Patrick Shanley's stage-to-screen adaptation earned broadly favorable but not unanimous praise, with critics largely agreeing that the performances outrun the material whenever the script's theatrical origins show their seams. The four leads — particularly Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Viola Davis in a single devastating scene — drew more consistent admiration than the film itself, and the central ambiguity over Father Flynn's guilt was seen by some as a genuine moral provocation and by others as a dramatic evasion.
“the air is thick with paranoia in Doubt, but nowhere as thick, juicy, sustained or sustaining as Meryl Streep's performance”
Manohla Dargis·The New York Times
“Doubt is a provocative, pared-down work that in the theatre carried the subtitle 'A Parable', and it has four outstanding performances.”
Philip French·The Observer
“exact and merciless writing, powerful performances and timeless relevance. It causes us to start thinking with the first shot”
Roger Ebert·RogerEbert.com
“the film's most wrenching performance ... the other [actors] argue strenuously and occasionally even eloquently, to ever-diminishing effect; Davis speaks plainly and quietly, and leaves [no] doubt that the moral high ground is a treacherous place to occupy in the real world”
NPR
“a near-miraculous level of believability ... Davis, in her small, one-scene role, is incredibly moving—I can barely remember a Davis performance where I haven't been moved”
Stephanie Zacharek·Salon
Accolades
Genres
Drama, Mystery
Cast & Crew
John Patrick ShanleyDirector
Meryl StreepSister Aloysius Beauvier
Philip Seymour HoffmanFather Brendan Flynn
Amy AdamsSister James
Viola DavisMrs. Miller
Alice DrummondSister Veronica
Audrie NeenanSister Raymond
Susan BlommaertMrs. Carson
Carrie PrestonChristine Hurley
John CostelloeWarren Hurley
Bridget Megan ClarkNoreen Horan
Howard ShoreComposer
Roger DeakinsCinematographyDoubt
In 1964 Bronx, two Catholic school nuns question the new priest's ambiguous relationship with a troubled African-American student.
What critics thought
John Patrick Shanley's stage-to-screen adaptation earned broadly favorable but not unanimous praise, with critics largely agreeing that the performances outrun the material whenever the script's theatrical origins show their seams. The four leads — particularly Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Viola Davis in a single devastating scene — drew more consistent admiration than the film itself, and the central ambiguity over Father Flynn's guilt was seen by some as a genuine moral provocation and by others as a dramatic evasion.
“the air is thick with paranoia in Doubt, but nowhere as thick, juicy, sustained or sustaining as Meryl Streep's performance”
Manohla Dargis·The New York Times
“Doubt is a provocative, pared-down work that in the theatre carried the subtitle 'A Parable', and it has four outstanding performances.”
Philip French·The Observer
“exact and merciless writing, powerful performances and timeless relevance. It causes us to start thinking with the first shot”
Roger Ebert·RogerEbert.com
“the film's most wrenching performance ... the other [actors] argue strenuously and occasionally even eloquently, to ever-diminishing effect; Davis speaks plainly and quietly, and leaves [no] doubt that the moral high ground is a treacherous place to occupy in the real world”
NPR
“a near-miraculous level of believability ... Davis, in her small, one-scene role, is incredibly moving—I can barely remember a Davis performance where I haven't been moved”
Stephanie Zacharek·Salon
Accolades
Genres
Drama, Mystery
Cast & Crew
John Patrick ShanleyDirectorMeryl StreepSister Aloysius BeauvierPhilip Seymour HoffmanFather Brendan FlynnAmy AdamsSister JamesViola DavisMrs. MillerAlice DrummondSister VeronicaAudrie NeenanSister RaymondSusan BlommaertMrs. CarsonCarrie PrestonChristine HurleyJohn CostelloeWarren HurleyBridget Megan ClarkNoreen HoranHoward ShoreComposerRoger DeakinsCinematographyStream
Rent & Buy