Review

Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams star in this intense Drama about a Priest’s relationship with his school’s first black student. The doubt that exists between the three central characters on what really happened is mesmerising to watch and should be hailed as a must see this year.

The acting from every cast member in this movie is spell bounding from start to finish. Streep’s queen bee persona that we saw in The Devil Wears Prada is taken to new levels as the principle of St. Nicholas, Sister Aloysius. But it’s not only the three leads that control the screen, the supporting cast does an amazing job of not being over powered by the Academy favourites.

The real star in this movie is the amazing screenplay. As I think it should be with all movies, the story is the best thing about it. It’s different and provocative without being too in your face or annoying, but carries an intelligent sense of humour throughout.

The crew is next in line for the ego soaring comments I just have to make about this movie. From the sets to the cinematography everything is flawlessly carried out without as much as a hint of showing off or distracting from the story.

Overall this is one of the best Drama’s I have seen in a long time, another must see on your 2009 movie list.

10/10

Synopsis

It's 1964, St. Nicholas in the Bronx. A vibrant, charismatic priest, Father Flynn (Academy Award; winner Philip Seymour Hoffman), is trying to upend the schools' strict customs, which have long been fiercely guarded by Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Academy Award; winner Meryl Streep), the iron-gloved Principal who believes in the power of fear and discipline. The winds of political change are sweeping through the community, and indeed, the school has just accepted its first black student, Donald Miller. But when Sister James (Academy Award; nominee Amy Adams), a hopeful innocent, shares with Sister Aloysius her guilt-inducing suspicion that Father Flynn is paying too much personal attention to Donald, Sister Aloysius sets off on a personal crusade to unearth the truth and to expunge Flynn from the school. Now, without a shard of proof besides her moral certainty, Sister Aloysius locks into a battle of wills with Father Flynn which threatens to tear apart the community with irrevocable consequence.

Release Date

Fri 06 Feb 2009 (SA)

Cast

Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams

Age Restriction

13

Trailer