Watched: Doubt

This was pretty great. I think by this point Meryl Streep is can be counted on to give a reliably strong performance, and her austerity and moral certainty here ring absolutely true. I didn't go to Catholic school and I wasn't raised in the 60's, but I know plenty of people who hold tightly to the kind of absolutism that she uses to judge Hoffman's kind, relaxed priest. Hoffman is also great, I loved his two sermon scenes. I'd forgotten how charismatic of an actor he is, even moreso when his character's own morality has some ambiguity. I would say the weak link is Amy Adams, but it's not really. She's very convincing, it's just that her character is the weak-willed nun stuck in the middle of a philosophical debate she can't entirely get a hold on. She gets the least amount to do, although I liked seeing Streep's influence on her through her interactions with her students.

Anyway, interesting film. It's a little claustrophobic, which I think is how it's supposed to feel (also because it was a play first), and that works to its advantage to heighten the drama happening within the school. Good performances, good dialogue, occasionally interesting film work.