With my nine years spent in Catholic elementary school, with nuns and all the fixings, I was incredibly intrigued to see this play when it first opened. I had never seen Cherry Jones before and frankly was wondering what the fuss was about. Until I saw the play. Her performances as Sr. Aloysius was one of the more spectacular I have ever seen and consider myself a big fan. Brian F. O’Byrne was her considerable equal, especially when their conflict came to a breaking point towards the end. Myself and many other theatregoers left the play quite stunned; a final revelation shocking us and leaving many of us with uncertainty as whether which one was to be believed.
Now the film. Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman pick up where these two great stage actors have left off. They are joined by Angela Bassett and Amy Adams (two rather exciting bits of casting, I must say). I’ve got to confess that while I’ll be seeing the film, I’m less than excited with at the casting of Streep and Hoffman. I hope come December they can change my mind.