Doubt - 2008 * * *

This is a strange film. One that I'm sure if I watched a few times I would begin to find loads of spiritual symbolism in. The only trouble is I don't think I could stand to watch it again. The performances are brilliant, that is not what I don't like. I don't like the fact that there is no resolution to the film, and the event which is supposedly making up the whole premise of the movie ( the priest abusing the child) is barely given a look in. We are plunged immediately into the after effects of the supposed event with no idea ourselves how or when it has happened. I just think that the film doesn't concentrate enough on the part it's supposed to. Meryl Streep is amazing as the sinister and fear-inducing Sister Aloysius and Philip Seymour Hoffman excellent as the Priest suspected of abuse. Several parts of this film, although supposedly set in 1960s don't seem to make sense ( did they have chicken chow mein then? and portable radios that looked like i-pods?). Not really sure if it is deserving of 5 Golden Globe nominations.