Proof (2005)

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

Simply A Masterpiece

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Proof really fell short for a few major reasons: 1. Lack of suspenseThere was no doubt in my mind for the whole movie that Catherine had written the proof so the movie just ended up being exceedingly boring.2. Over-acting by Gwyneth Paltrow I was really surprised to see that many people thought that she deserved an Oscar for this movie. Her constant mental break downs were unrealistic and were basically for no reason. Her character was supposed to be extremely intelligent, but she ran on emotions and was completely irrational. She just struck me as a really annoying, selfish, and extreme character whose emotions seemed very forced.3. Bad castingSeriously? Jake Gyllenhaal as a math geek who is desperate for a girl? Realistically, I thought Jake was too attractive to put up with verbal abuse from an emotionally unstable Catherine when he could get basically any other girl he wanted. I really didn't understand why he liked her to begin with, she treated him badly the entire movie.4. Unnecessary switching between past and presentThis added no suspense or anything special to the story.5. No math in the movie......despite the fact that it was a movie about math.6. The cringe-worthy love scenes Catherine is constantly crying and accusatory toward Hal even in the "cute moments" in the movie. I just found that it didn't really work and seemed unrealistic.A few bright sides:1. Anthony Hopkins was brilliant.2. I thought Hope Davis played the self-absorbed sister role very well.

I almost wish they could re-title "Proof" to "Gwyneth Paltrow's Acting Abilities," because that's what Proof has going for it: Gwyneth Paltrow's tour de force portrayal of a woman caught between the lines of brilliance and insanity. It's the best performance I've ever seen dealing with grief. She has a few times in the first Act she crosses the line and becomes melodramatic, but Act Two and Three prove Paltrow's work to be a hurricane of a performance. I've seen Proof twice, I must say the overall quality of the film dropped the second time around. At times Proof is misdirected and strays into melodrama, therefore loses connection with the viewer. But the director has a handle on many of the painfully emotional scenes. It does display some terrific edited sequences, the performances from Anthony Hopkins and Jake Gyllenhaal are air-tight, and the script is tailored in compelling drama and mystery. Paltrow's emotionally draining performance is reason enough to see it. Rating: 7/10Grade: B+

This film, while not for everyone has an intriguing story and Anthony Hopkins portrays mathematical professor Robert, whose daughter Catherine is now going through a period of worry that she will inherit her father's mental issues. Apparently he is a form of bipolar , but it is not ever delineated clearly.The film starts at her father's death, Catherine imagines he is talking with her on her birthday and he gives her champagne. He tells her she is getting lazy and needs to use her mind to work on her math proofs, she attends the University of Chicago. Paltrow (also as Sylvia Plath in "The Bell Jar") portrays depression realistically, she is tired of life, her father is gone, she lives in his house and is annoyed by the visit of her "do good" sister Claire (Hope Davis). Davis is very good as a patronizing sister not really understanding Catherine depression , wanting her to just "snap out of it" by going shopping and using the right shampoo. Anyone who comprehends clinical depression sees the senselessness of this.Hopkins, as brilliant but troubled professor, does not grace us with enough screen time, he is always indelible even if in a brief performance. Jake Gyllenhall as Howard Dobbs, a graduate student who wants to help Catherine, but doesn't quite know how.Overall an interesting theme which will make you want to read the story, it is slow at times but a good subject matter and the performances are not overblown and exaggerated ("A Beautiful Mind" was a good film but assumes the audience has no clue as to how to interpret mental disturbances and disorders).Someday perhaps Hollywood will step into the 21st century and acknowledge brilliant people can also have emotional disorders without being "crazy". This film touches on a few good points. Recommended. 9/10.

Hi I've read a lot of the reviews and i can see why most people like this film. its story area may have been touched on in a beautiful mind and good will hunting, but it takes a different slant on it. AnthonyHopkins is a maths genius but becomes mentally unwell and looses hispowers mathematically. He has two daughters the youngest of which is Gwyneth Paltrow who stays behind to look after him. This costs her and she becomes trapped by him though they connect mentally through mathematics. After his death the elder sister comes back: there is agood take on mental health here because she is very controlling and undermining but would see herself as well strong and here to look afterher sister. The other main character play by Jake G. is a ray of sunshine to me (some have found in unrealistic in their reviews) and the scene is set for a well acted film with a good script...