12 Great Movies That Are Visually Flat

Doubt, written and directed by John Patrick Shanley, is based on Shanley's play of the same name. It tells the story of a nun (Meryl Streep) who becomes convinced a priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) in her parish is sexually abusing a boy.

Doubt was obviously a very good play, since the film's screenplay is undeniably strong, and the acting from Streep, Hoffman, co-lead Amy Adam and Viola Davis (in a small but scene-stealing turn) is completely magnificent. All four of them were, deservedly, nominated for Oscars.

Unfortunately, in spite of the best efforts of cinematographer Roger Deakins, Doubt still very much feels like a filmed play and thus falls into the same trap that plenty of other stage-to-film adaptations do. On a cinematic level it never really comes to life and while the film is still a good one, there is a sense that it could've been more had it moved away from its theatre roots a bit more.