I was quite taken aback when my girlfriend told me her favorite movie was 'Joe Versus the Volcano', especially since I hadn't gotten around to seeing it yet. It occurred to me that this picture came from the same creative mind behind that earlier work, and knowing that it featured a cast of talented actors, I decided to give it a look. Growing up in a Christian household and having followed news reports about scandals—particularly those involving leaders within the Catholic Church (as portrayed in films like 'The Boys of St. Vincent' (John N. Smith, 1992) and 'In Bruges' (Martin McDonagh, 2008)), I was particularly interested to see what this filmmaker had produced more recently. The uncertainty that lies at the heart of the film—that sense of doubt—actually works very well for it. The writing and directing are both tight and impressive, and the gorgeous New York locations used to depict the Bronx in 1964 add a real cinematic feel to the story. It showcases some truly outstanding performances from Philip Seymour Hoffman (though 'Happiness' and 'The Master' remain my personal favorites), Meryl Streep ('The Deer Hunter' and 'The Devil Wears Prada are among her best, in my view), and Amy Adams (I consider this to be her strongest showing). Viola Davis also delivers a remarkable performance here, making a real impact and taking over every scene she’s in. It easily measures up against Shanley’s Oscar-winning screenplay for 'Moonstruck', and despite its dark and somber tone, I wholeheartedly recommend it to those who can handle the subject matter and look into that darkness without turning away—something these exceptional actors manage effortlessly. It's almost as disappointing, to someone who loves movies, that this film didn’t take home any of its five Oscar nominations as the scandals hinted at within the story are to the community itself. It must have been a particularly competitive year for films, I imagine.

Source on TMDB