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John Patrick Shanley's 2008 drama Doubt, based on his own Pulitzer-prize and Tony Award-winning stage play 'Doubt: A Parable', stars the formidable talents of Meryl Streep,
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis. Set in a Catholic elementary school named after St Nicholas in 1964, the film grapples with the sensitive issue of sexual abuse within the
church. Currently available on Netflix, viewers will need to catch it before it leaves the platform on June 4. After premiering at the AFI Fest in October 2008 and subsequently released
more broadly in December, Doubt garnered $51.7 million at the box office on a $20 million budget. Despite receiving mixed reviews, the performances by Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman,
and Amy Adams were universally praised, each securing an Oscar nomination at the 81st Academy Awards. The film was also in contention for Best Adapted Screenplay that year. Remarkably, Doubt
is one of only four films to date, alongside My Man Godfrey (1936), I Remember Mama (1948), and Othello (1965), to earn four acting nominations without being considered for Best Picture,
reports the Daily Record. One critic described the film as "an expert film, with a precision and lucidity in its intellectual quandary that few motion pictures can muster, making the
experience at once entertaining and full of substance." One reviewer praises the film's subtlety, saying: "Doubt comes to the screen with a welcome restraint, relying as much
on what is unsaid as on what is said and the kind of stylish visual juxtapositions of those suppers." A critic shares their admiration, adding: "Doubt is simply, engrossingly
thought-provoking and, despite its subdued appearance, is one of the brightest films of the year." However, not all feedback was positive, with one less impressed reviewer commenting:
"Doubt looks like some sort of upscale horror film, complete with crows and swirling leaves like The Omen. It's actually a terminally muddled piece of star-studded
Oscar-bait." An audience member reflects on the film's impact, saying: "This film will leave you questioning and doubting. No conclusion as you need to draw your own.
"Streep was excellent in it and the guy who played the priest." Another viewer commends the acting, noting: "Now that we are many years past the film's aggressive Oscar
campaign and the endless debates over the film's effectiveness as an adaptation of a massively successful play, I think we can assess it on its own merits. "Frankly I think the
movie is very clear eyed about what happened and what this all means and the performances are uniformly great." Yet, there's a dissenting voice among viewers, with one commenting:
"Critics and audience alike are all luvvy darling how wonderful what performances blah blah blah. "I don't get it. There is no reason for Streep's certainty." One
viewer argued: "She has no ulterior motive and no proof. She is not mad nor is she looking for revenge. "The story is fundamentally flawed." (sic). Meanwhile, others were more
divided, praising the acting as the film's sole redeeming feature: "I love Meryl Streep, and she really saved this film from sending me to sleep. "It was very pedestrian and
not a great deal happened." Some appreciated the atmosphere and character portrayals, commenting: "There was a nice atmosphere, though, and I found Amy Adams's character
engaging, too." _DOUBT WILL LEAVE NETFLIX ON JUNE 4._