Doubt, the film

I was looking forward to watching the film, Doubt, because I enjoy the work of Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman. I was not sure how I would feel about the subject matter of the film. However,.......

Doubt is one of the best films I have seen. It takes a close look at religion, authority, moral values, and faith in the capsule of a play format - which it was originally a play and adapted for the screen. The central characters portray powerful personalities; the young novice nun who is searching for her style, her identity, and her own faith; the Principal who comes across as a dictatorial, angry representation of religion at its most damning, believing she is right; the boy in turmoil with his identity, and his family life; and his mother, who attempts to balance complicated, and at times violent, pieces of her family life to protect her son. Finally, there is the priest who is accused of an inappropriate relationship with the boy. As events unfold, answers to questions become more obscure.

The playwright states that 3 people can watch Doubt and come away with very different interpretations, and I concur.
Although Sister Aloysius is portrayed as a bitter, vindictive, judgmental shell that tries to destroy the love that our Lord represents, the film still resonates affirming love. It seemed to affirm my faith in our Lord while pointing out the multitude of errors or sins that we as a stumbling, bumbling people commit on a regular basis. Father Flynn delivers messages on doubt (hmmm), gossip, and intolerance and provides examples of struggles common to us all.