Phillip M (Pmoney10)

I'm surprised that more critics did not praise this film; it's one of those films that you expect them to go crazy over.

Streep plays a nun, Sister Aloysius, who is principal of Bronx Catholic High School and runs it in an authoritarian manner, following traditional nun practice. Sister James (Adams) plays a naive and innocent nun, who has suspicions about Father Flynn (Hoffman) after witnessing some fishy things. After Sister James reveals her doubts to Sister Aloysius, Streep's character believes that Flynn is guilty of James' suspicions. However, is Flynn guilty? Or is it that Aloysius' motivation to get rid of James is because of his more liberal stance on the church and breaking away from Aloysius' precious tradition.

It's an actor's movie, as they call it. Reading up about Doubt, I found that it's based on a play and it's very obvious that it is. The art direction is very uni-tonal, almost as if Shanley decided to adopt a play's stage direction. The scenes take place in a single location. There isn't very much action or movement within the film itself. It's very static and doesn't rev up any tension that the script demands. But this is a minor complaint because this plays second to what really matters in Doubt.

Though Shanley lacks directorial exuberance, he knows how to write a compelling story and how to direct actors.

Doubt's story is the driving force. Though most people would say it's the actors, I feel the actors do a wonderful job at bringing the writing to life. Shanley's story brings about great drama and tension, while also questioning that morality of the characters. The story itself, I find, rides the popularity of the amount of priests that were in the news about molestation charges. This was quite a hot topic then--still is (sort of). The writing itself is taut. Doubt doesn't care much for metaphorical prose, it gets to the of core story and stays there.

The acting is a bonus. The exchanges between Hoffman and Streep are so lively and even exhilarating. Every time they meet onscreen you know you're in for class acting. Adams has really found a niche for the naive, innocent type of characters she plays. She kind of exudes that in real life as well. And Viola Davis and Meryl Streep face-to-face is quite a force.

The story is engrossing, the way the movie progresses enthralls, the acting is top-notch, but it's presentation is dull. IT

We Need To Talk About Kevin is a slow-moving, crescendo of a film that really messes with its characters almost as much as it likes to screw with the audience.

We Need To Talk explores the relationship between Eva and her son Kevin. It's apparent from watching Eva that she is not thrilled to be having a child. She doesn't look at protruding belly with love or affection, but with a blank stare that evokes a sense of apathy. When she does have Kevin, he proves to be a menace. With each passing year he grows more sinister and it seems as if Eva is pushed to her limits.

The question is, is Kevin the way he is because of his upbringing or because he is innately evil? As the movie develops we are being challenged to answer this question. We see that Kevin is a pain to deal with, but we also witness that Eva isn't exactly mother of the year.

The film is mainly a display of the brilliance that is Tilda Swinton. Her performance is absolutely what it needs to be. She portrays her disdain, her sorrow and her guilt in a quiet beauty that draws you into the film. For a great deal of the film Eva is a defeated soul and Swinton inhabits that sentiment. You never see a break of character or an out of place emotion. If you did not enjoy the movie, the least you can say is that Swinton pulls off one of the best performances of 2011.

The film itself doesn't hold up to Swinton's excellent portrayal, but is overall a good film. We Need To Talk is comparable to two other films that were released this year: Martha Marcy May Marlene (for it's structure) and Beautiful Boy (for it's subject matter). We Need To Talk is told in the form of flashbacks and the present. The blend isn't as quite as seamless as Martha, but the effect is still the same. The pacing is also a tad too slow. There are instances where the progression of the movie almost comes to a halt.

The visual aspects of the film add to the psychological discomfort that Eva feels and really makes the audience feel unease as well. With constant jumps back and forth in time, it's easy to get lost in what's current and what's past. Ramsay uses this opportunity to use striking visuals to enhance our unease.

We Need To Talk About Kevin is really a film that can get under your skin and I'd be surprised if you watched it and didn't feel so. It's an effective psychological thriller that proves to be a struggle to get through with it's slow pace, but very rewarding when its conclusion comes. 8/10