Forgotten movie starring Hollywood icons but you only have days to watch

The 2008 drama Doubt, penned and directed by John Patrick Shanley and based on his own Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning stage play from 2004, beams with an all-star cast featuring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis.

Set in the shadows of a Catholic elementary school in 1964, the film boldly tackles sexual abuse within the church. Sadly, fans will have to say farewell as Doubt is set to leave Netflix on June 4, after having graced screens since premiering at the AFI Fest in October 2008, and subsequently rolling out for wider audiences in December.

With a box-office triumph of $51.7 million against its $20 million budget, the film intrigued yet divided critics. Despite the mixed critique, Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams received universal applause for their stellar portrayals, with each being honoured with an Oscar nomination at the 81st Academy Awards.

The movie stood tall in the screenplay category too, battling for Best Adapted Screenplay. Remarkably, Doubt finds itself in a rarefied league as only the fourth movie ever — joining the esteemed ranks of My Man Godfrey (1936), I Remember Mama (1948), and Othello (1965) — to achieve four acting nominations without a Best Picture contender nod.

A critic highlighted the film's intellectual rigor and substantive depth, stating: "An expert film, with a precision and lucidity in its intellectual quandary that few motion pictures can muster, making the experience at once entertaining and full of substance."

Cinema fans are decidedly split on the film Doubt , reports the Daily Record. Moreover, one reviewer praising its subtle approach: "Doubt comes to the screen with a welcome restraint, relying as much on what is unsaid as on what is said and the kind of stylish visual juxtapositions of those suppers."

While another critic asserts: "Doubt is simply, engrossingly thought-provoking and, despite its subdued appearance, is one of the brightest films of the year." However, not everyone is swept away by the movie's allure, as one critic notes with disappointment: "Doubt looks like some sort of upscale horror film, complete with crows and swirling leaves like The Omen.

"It's actually a terminally muddled piece of star-studded Oscar-bait."

Another audience review proclaims: "This film will leave you questioning and doubting. No conclusion as you need to draw your own. Streep was excellent in it and the guy who played the priest."

Praise for the cast remains strong among most: "Now that we are many years past the film's aggressive Oscar campaign and the endless debates over the film's effectiveness as an adaptation of a massively successful play, I think we can assess it on its own merits. Frankly I think the movie is very clear eyed about what happened and what this all means and the performances are uniformly great."

Yet a dissenting viewer struggles to join the chorus of acclaims, stating: "Critics and audience alike are all luvvy darling how wonderful what performances blah blah blah. I don't get it. There is no reason for Streep's certainty."

One viewer dismissed the plot, saying: "She has no ulterior motive and no proof. She is not mad nor is she looking for revenge. The story is fundamentally flawed."

In contrast, some viewers praised the acting, with one saying: "I love Meryl Streep, and she really saved this film from sending me to sleep. It was very pedestrian and not a great deal happened."

The same viewer added: "There was a nice atmosphere, though, and I found Amy Adams's character engaging, too."

Doubt will leave Netflix on June 4.