DOUBT

DOUBT is a great film. Typically, I can take or leave (usually leave) Meryl Streep. Some say she's our greatest living actress. I say she's our most over-rated living actress. Personally, I'll take Kate Winslett over Streep...until now. Going into the 2009 Oscars one of the most heated battles was between Streep for her portrayal as a nasty nun in DOUBT and Winslet as a past Nazi who enjoys seducing teenage boys. It was obvious to me that Winslet was going to win. Her role was dramatic, brave, and she was due to win because of her past nominations and non-wins...all words and situations that the Academy love to praise and honor with the little gold man. When she won, I was happy. I would rather my big-toe win over Streep. At Oscar time, I hadn't seen DOUBT.


My opinion has changed. After seeing DOUBT over the weekend not only should have Streep won best actress, Philip Seymour Hoffman should have beat out Heath Ledger for best supporting actor (yes, he is that good in this picture), and Amy Adams should have won over Penelope Cruz (for the record...I have a big crush on Cruz).


DOUBT gets an "8". The end through me for a loop and questioned my faith in placing DOUBT onto my annual list of the 10 best films of the year. Simply stated, the acting in DOUBT is some of the best I've seen from an ensemble cast. The scenes with Streep and Hoffman going at it were some of the most memorable in any film released in 2008.


You will see that my post/ best of 2008 list from earlier in the year has been changed.

My 4 favorite Meryl Streep films...
1) Postcards From the Edge
2)The Manchurian Candidate
3) Doubt
4) Silkwood