The movie was Nominated for five Oscars: Best Actress (Meryl Streep), Best Actor Supporting Actor, (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Best Supporting Actress (Amy Adams), Best Supporting Actress (Viola Davis), and Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (John Patrick Shanley).
The movie captures your attention almost from the very beginning. My wife and I went to a local jam-packed Cineplex to see this the day after Christmas. It was so engrossing that the entire audience was totally quiet throughout the movie. In fact, at times, I almost forgot the audience was there--they were all as engrossed as we were.
The plot takes place in a Catholic Church and school in the Bronx in 1964, shortly after John Kennedy was assassinated. There is a strong suspicion that the new priest, Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), is abusing a black alter boy, Donald Miller—though the words are never used —as they would NOT have been then. The suspicion begins with the school's Principal, a very tough task master, Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep). She advises her fellow nuns to be on the lookout for anything that may seem strange or wrong in the parish. When a young nun, Sister James (Amy Adams), thinks she sees evidence of an inappropriate protective nature that Father Flynn has towards Donald—together with smelling alcohol on the boy's breath--Sister James reports it to Sister Aloysius.
This sets in motion a powerfully dramatic battle of wills between Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn. The audience can hardly help from getting involved, being drawn into the situation and feeling strongly for one side or the other...
Another idea that one thinks about upon leaving the theater--in silent awe from the movie--is that back at that time, priests had great power over the nuns—as well as the parishioners: the 'good ol' boys network.'
The movie captures your attention almost from the very beginning. My wife and I went to a local jam-packed Cineplex to see this the day after Christmas. It was so engrossing that the entire audience was totally quiet throughout the movie. In fact, at times, I almost forgot the audience was there--they were all as engrossed as we were.
The plot takes place in a Catholic Church and school in the Bronx in 1964, shortly after John Kennedy was assassinated. There is a strong suspicion that the new priest, Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), is abusing a black alter boy, Donald Miller—though the words are never used —as they would NOT have been then. The suspicion begins with the school's Principal, a very tough task master, Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep). She advises her fellow nuns to be on the lookout for anything that may seem strange or wrong in the parish. When a young nun, Sister James (Amy Adams), thinks she sees evidence of an inappropriate protective nature that Father Flynn has towards Donald—together with smelling alcohol on the boy's breath--Sister James reports it to Sister Aloysius.
This sets in motion a powerfully dramatic battle of wills between Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn. The audience can hardly help from getting involved, being drawn into the situation and feeling strongly for one side or the other...
Another idea that one thinks about upon leaving the theater--in silent awe from the movie--is that back at that time, priests had great power over the nuns—as well as the parishioners: the 'good ol' boys network.'