Doubt, 2008

Doubt, 2008
Director: John Patrick Shanley
Cast: Meryl Streep, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams

Stage: Home theatre, late Saturday TV selection



Doubt in short: It's 1964, St. Nicholas in the Bronx. A charismatic priest, Father Flynn, is trying to upend the schools' strict customs, which have long been fiercely guarded by Sister Aloysius Beauvier, the iron-gloved Principal who believes in the power of fear and discipline. The winds of political change are sweeping through the community, and indeed, the school has just accepted its first black student, Donald Miller. But when Sister James, a hopeful innocent, shares with Sister Aloysius her guilt-inducing suspicion that Father Flynn is paying too much personal attention to Donald, Sister Aloysius sets off on a personal crusade to unearth the truth and to expunge Flynn from the school. Now, without a shard of proof besides her moral certainty, Sister Aloysius locks into a battle of wills with Father Flynn which threatens to tear apart the community with irrevocable consequences.



Preps: I have seen this piece at the movies. Very controversial. and once Maryl Streep has a negative role. I am ready to see it again, as I accidently caught it on TV...


Reality: Well, the movie speaks about thing noone feels the need to discuss in public. Meryl Streep in role of sister Aloysius, the devil and the god in one person, the one that knows all the rules by heart and is ready to follow them no matter the cost. And victims that come alongside. 
This piece is a true shifter in mindset. It tells exactly the story that gossip can lead to. This harsh sister is mislead by a younger nun, who claims seeing the new Father in their saint institution, being in a wrong role towards a young student. Now, she doesn't have any proof, however the hunch and feeling she has when overhearing and overseeing something are so strong, she claims a strong position and tells it to the peace and order maker in the church.
Sister Aloysius is as strict as she grew up in the old ages. She does the best she can to chase Father Flynn out of the convint and community. The tools she uses are not a subject to question. She needs them in order to get the right thing in front of God. And she needs Father Flynn to resent his sins.
Obviously the movie doesn't serve with the fact (did he do it or didn't he do it), but you are left to your own conclusion. Now, the more intense the story gets, when the rasist differences try to appear in front of the viewer. The boy is black which makes the whole thing a bit more controversial. Believer or not, you get yourself into thinking about all the sins that are really happening in the church, being lead by the great church leaders, never proven, never having them in front of a real judge to face the consequences.
In this case, the "doubt" remains. Is he guilty or not. Does this really matter? Or is this a game to face the winner of the community, in this case a fight between men and women? The movie poses several directions the viewer can look up to and neither one comes to a conclusion.
I love Streep in a bit negative role, Seymour is brilliant too. He looks as if he was a gay priest, looking his way into a new, progressive church. In my mind, the whole movie, as I watch it, he is the innocent guy. This much I admire the strong push Streep is giving here. You will love the drama, caused by the two, and the negative energy that makes them brilliant in this piece. And for sure, you won't want to step into a holy institution for at least some time.


My personal rating: 7,0 (a solid holy spectacle, trying to be a serious drama.)

Doubt on IMDB

The Rite, 2011

The Rite, 2011
Director: Mikail Hafstrom
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Colin O'Donoghue, Ciaran Hinds



Stage: Local theatre, an impulsive idea to watch something really late

The Rite in short: An American seminary student travels to Italy to take an exorcism course.

Preps: There isn't much of a selection in our theatres in this moment. At least not in what I would find interesting enough to see in the theatre. Hopkins again, makes my expectations high enough and sets some standards for me to see this. He doesn't make many mistakes in his picks of the movie..


Reality: I was told this is a commercial break for those that believe in god and allmighty magic. The Rome magic, I mean in this sense. Well, the ones that told me this, were absolutely right. I find a deep remorsement when watching this because it implies the only belief there should be possible - the one in god. As an atheist, I strive to find deeper philosophy and logic behind those ideas. It doesn't matter if it's an catholic, orthodox, any kind of religion. I just find the idea that only one religion is the true one, totally wrong and selfish. Or maybe challenging, not to be that harsh. I for myself and my own state of mind try to seek a crossing between all the things that are happening around the globe and are said to be divine (the miracles, Virgin Mary's appearing, Buddha appearing, miraculous curings,..), and all the logical things/science that serves an independent observer's mind. To be caught somewhere in the middle strikes me as more positive than belonging to just one religion. And in this sense, I find more answers and take more responsibility than placing it all to one god.

Aside from this point, the movie poses the existence of a devil and of course, on the other hand god. Exorcism course should be the one equipping young enthusiasts with weapon to defeat him/her, of course placed in picturesque Rome. The young priest is the voice of the viewer, and Hopkins is one interesting voice of belief, because in one breath he rejects all the divine (you need to believe in this) mumbo jumbo; in another, he's the true voice of christianity. The scenes with exorcism are really impressively put together, although for the reason stated above, they will leave all the atheists (or most of them) cold in their feet and soul.

So, all in all I find this movie to be truly a commercial issue speaking for the church and making a crowd at Sunday masses, rather than sound of reason, making true options what to solve (or what is to be solved). Are the people, that claim to be posessed, merely psychological cases - with a severe shizofrenia for instance? The movie doesn't pose an answer, just makes me question more.


My personal rating: 5,0 (for all the thinking post festum. Generally, I like movies to make me think about one or two points. Nevertheless, the execution in this perticular piece is not extremely well).

The Rite on IMDB