The film “Doubt”

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F_Marturana

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I saw this film this week for the first time.

Has anyone seen it?

What were your impressions?

I thought it was a very intense film. Very well acted.

From the reviews I thought Sr. Aloysius was going to be the villain. I found myself sympathetic to her.

I thought Fr. Flynn arrogant and the he pushed boundaries too far. There was a scene where Sister Aloysius wanted a third party before meeting with Fr. Flynn, and he refused and stormed into her office anyway.

Anyway, I don’t want to give the plot away.

What did everyone think?
 
That’s fine. We don’t have to feel similarly. That’s why it’s called “Doubt” 😊
 
I haven’t seen it in awhile but remember really liking it and being delightfully surprised that it wasn’t a Catholic-bashing film. Meryl Streep’s character, (Sr. Aloysius?), became easier to empathize with in the end. She was obviously projecting a lot of personal hurt, and it’s left to the viewer to speculate on what that might be.
 
I’d read the play before I saw the film. It was thought provoking and a well made film.
 
I thought it was well-done—well-written and acted. ( I knew someone who was friends with the playwright, so I didn’t actually have doubt …)
 
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Oh, really, @Julian? That’s cool.

I saw the movie, it was very well done and kept you guessing. Very compelling.

It was a while ago that I saw it. I should look for it and watch it again.
 
It’s been on HBO these past few days, if you have that cable station.
 
I’m not sure I had any doubt at the end.

Some things seem to be explainable. The locker scene I think was very hard to think of an innocent explanation for.
 
I did feel for her.

Part of her job was to protect the children, and I did think Fr. Flynn overstepped boundaries.

The scene where he wouldn’t accomodate her request for a third party to be in the office with them.

Also the request for Donald to go to the rectory for a private meeting. 🚩 Part of it could have been Flynn’s arrogance, somehow thinking himself above the rules. But he should have involved the the teacher and the principal if the child had actually taken the wine. So why didn’t he?

And the little gift? I’m not sure how many young boys played with ballerina dolls in the 1960’s. If Fr. Flynn was concerned with Donald being bullied or ostracized, why give him a ballerina doll? What if the abusive dad found it.
 
My takeaway is that the nun didn’t get resolution. She has to live with the consequences of her actions, not knowing whether she was in the right or in the wrong. She didn’t seem to be at peace in the end.
 
I enjoyed the movie. I remember it had a strong attention to detail. The actors were very good.
 
I enjoyed it but at a certain point I felt like absolutely every social question was thrown in. Racism, the gay theme, priestly abuse. It was too much.
 
My single take-away from this film was the sermon on gossip. I frequently repeat it as a lesson to others. It’s very graphic and effective in conveying the damage and carelessness involved.

I thought the actors were fantastic. Top-notch. RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman. I enjoyed the old-fashioned setting. It’s too bad they couldn’t have portrayed more of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, but this was not a film made for Catholic fanboys.
 
I also think the use of that version of the hymn “Ubi caritas” was off. I think it was written later than the year that the film was set in.
The gossip scene:

 
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