10 Movie Endings You Can Only Work Out For Yourself
5. Doubt
John Patrick Shanley's Doubt, adapted from his own Tony Award-winning play, is centered around the possible guilt of Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a priest who may or may not be abusing a young altar boy.
On one hand there's Sister James (Amy Adams), who is more willing to believe Flynn's innocence, and on the other Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep), who is convinced of his guilt.
Aloysius eventually convinces Flynn to move to another church under the threat of blackmail, before it's revealed that the blackmail was entirely fabricated, yet Aloysius reasons that it wouldn't have worked unless Flynn were guilty.
At film's end, Aloysius sees Flynn's resignation as proof of his guilt, while James maintains his innocence. In the final scene, Aloysius declares to her, "I have doubts... I have such doubts!," as she breaks down in tears.
There's a lot for the audience to consider for themselves - first and foremost whether Flynn truly was guilty, and then precisely what Aloysius has doubts about. Is she doubting her accusations against Flynn, her faith, the presence of God around her, or all of the above?
Exactly what that final scene means has sparked fierce debate among audiences ever since the original play made its debut.