Movie Review: Doubt

Doubt (2008) 

Directed by John Patrick Shanley 

Written by John Patrick Shanley 

Starring Meryl Streep,, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams

Release Date December 12h, 2008

Published January 5th, 2008 

I did not attend Catholic School but some of my favorite people have and the experience shaped their lives. The most famous example is George Carlin whose catholic school experience fostered the rebellious spirit that would lead comic explications of the churches and indeed religions many failings.

Doubt, the film version of John Patrick Shanley's stage play, displays catholic school as it was just after Carlin left. Set in 1963 we witness the clash of 50's parochialism and the mind expanding 60's and the result is surprisingly fair to both sides. If you believe completely in the discipline of the 50's or subscribe entirely to the freedom of the 60's you will leave this movie with doubts.

Meryl Streep stars in Doubt as Sister Aloysius the principle of a New York catholic school in flux. The school has its first african american student, Donald Miller (Joseph Foster), and the parish home of the school has a priest. He is father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and his approach to catholicism and to the school is open minded and compassionate.

The approach rankles Sister Aloysisus who believes in fear as the best teacher and motivator. The interesting thing is that both approaches really have merits. In fact both are demonstrated by Sister James (Amy Adams). Caught in the middle of the changing times, Sister James is an example of the balance that could be struck if both sides weren't so intransigent.

The plot of Doubt centers on Father Flynn's relationship with Donald Miller. He immediately takes the boy under his wing. Donald is an alter boy and I know your mind has already jumped to a particular conclusion. Sister James and Sister Aloysius jump to the same conclusion only Sister Aloysius is certain of her suspicions, Sister James is conflicted.

When Father Flynn is confronted about these suspicions the scenes are explosive and Doubt becomes a fiery, passionate battle of wills. Streep and Hoffman are perfectly cast as two willful personalities incapable of conceding. In Father Flynn's case conceding is inconceivable not just because he is willful but because of what conceding means.

For Sister Aloysius self doubt is a sin. Her life is lived in service of a belief. When she comes to believe her suspicions about Father Flynn she cannot allow herself to be proven wrong. To be wrong would be as if to prove God himself were wrong.

Streep is cast as the villanous in much of the press about Doubt. In reality her Sister Aloysius is just a fervent defender of what she believes and if you concede that she has something to be worried about in Father Flynn's relationship with her students then you must sympathize with her even if her severity is off putting.

Shanley doesn't aim to make Doubt a mystery. There are no gotcha moments. You will likely leave the theater debating Father Flynn's guilt as much as you talk about whether you liked the movie. I will keep my thoughts to myself on the matter. If you want to talk about it off the blog where spoilers can be shared, please email.

Doubt is one of the best movies of 2008. A powerful, thought provoking and moving drama that has numerous levels to its drama and passion. Meryl Streep will win and deserve to win Best Actress for her role. The greatest actress of her time has once again shown why she is worth such hyperbolic praise.

Movie Review Live from Baghdad

Live from Baghdad (2002) 

Directed by Mick Jackson 

Written by John Patrick Shanley 

Starring Michael Keaton, Helena Bonham Carter, Lili Taylor, Bruce McGill, Kurt Fuller 

Release Date December 7th, 2002 

Published January 12th, 2003

Hollywood has a knack for timing. Right as the meltdown at Three Mile Island was happening, Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas were topping the box office in The China Syndrome. Just as controversy brewed about President Clinton's questionable bombings in Afghanistan, Hollywood released the hysterical political comedy Wag The Dog about a presidential administration that waged a fake war. Now, as we once again sit on the brink of war in Iraq, HBO releases Live From Baghdad, a smart, quickly-paced, entertaining movie that takes us behind the scenes of our first war in Iraq.

The film is based on the writing of CNN producer Robert Wiener, who, with correspondents Bernard Shaw, Peter Arnett, and John Holliman, broadcast live as bombs dropped on Iraq's capital. In the film, Wiener is played by Michael Keaton as a resourceful, quick witted journalist with a great ear for a story and the nerve to go and get it. Wiener, producer Ingrid Formanek (Helena Bonham Carter), and a skeleton crew--including the always-excellent Lily Taylor and Blair Witch victim Joshua Leonard--go to the heart of Iraq to get the story from inside the country.

The crew from CNN put their network on the map with its all-access war coverage. Their first big story is video of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein posing with "guests" (or hostages, depending upon your perspective.) CNN came under fire for airing the unedited footage, which some viewed as Iraqi propaganda. The next story for the crew is gaining an interview with an American hostage, a story which leads to the interviewee being taken into custody and Wiener's first major crisis of conscience. As we would uncover later, Hussein used American oil workers in Iraq as hostages held in strategic places where the US was likely to drop bombs.

The hostages were released before the bombs began dropping. The big coup was too land an interview with Saddam Hussein, however the things the producer has to promise to get the interview makes you wonder if it's worth it. CBS and Dan Rather land the first interview with Hussein despite Wiener's close relationship with the Iraqi Minister of Information, Naji Al Hadithi, here played by veteran character actor David Suchet. (You don't know the name but, trust me, you would know his face.)

Eventually, CNN would get an interview with Hussein, leading to a surreal photo op of Hussein posing with Wiener, his crew, and correspondent Shaw(Robert Wisdom). But it's not until the bombs begin to drop and CNN becomes America's eyes in Baghdad that the little network that could moves into the big time.

My favorite thing about Live From Baghdad are the performances, especially the group of character actors taking on the difficult roles of CNN reporters. Bruce Mcgill is Arnett and John Carrol Lynch portrays Holliman. (As mentioned above Wisdom is Shaw.) These roles are difficult because these reporters became quite memorable during and after the Gulf War and both Shaw and Arnett remain in front of the cameras to this day. John Holliman passed away in 1999 and Live From Baghdad is dedicated to him.

Mcgill really makes an impression, capturing the modern-day-cowboy attitude of Arnett, who has always loved being in the middle of the action, broadcasting live during the evacuation of Vietnam and other hotspots. Mcgill seems to make an impression in everything he's in. His Robert Hagan was the best part of The Legend Of Bagger Vance in 2000.

With all the media coverage about the Gulf War, one may think there isn't a story left to tell, Live From Baghdad has a story and it's a compelling, exciting story very well told by Keaton, Carter, and Director Mick Jackson. The film was based on the book written by Wiener who also wrote the teleplay, which gives the dialogue a fresh, realistic feel.

Though I found it hard to believe Wiener told Saddam Hussein he loved his tie as he was putting a microphone on the Iraqi dictator, the film teases the reality of it. In the end, it is just really nice to see Keaton back in a lead role, something we haven't seen since the god-awful Christmas movie Jack Frost in 1998. After a movie that bad it was probably a good idea to take some time off. Now he can be welcomed back and I, for one, hope to see more of him. Just no more Christmas movies.