Review of Proof (1980) by Hannah W — 05 Oct 2008

I cannot calculate why Director John Madden's "Proof" was considered a heavy Oscar contender during the early "for your consideration" season of the Oscar campaign for 2005. The film is really divided into several logical plot equations.

You have an enclosed Catherine who is a daughter of a mentally disturbed, but yet brilliant mathematician named Robert. You have an upstart math college kid whiz named Hal who wants to multiply his talents by diving into Robert's hidden proofs and Catherine's hidden under-proof.

Hey, you do the math! Lastly, you have Catherine's uptight sister Claire who want Catherine to live with her in New York City to avoid the same mental derangement their father had. That is the "Proof" premise! Gwyneth Paltrow was brilliant as Catherine and Jake Gyllenhaal as Hal continued his startling 2005 acting season by summing up another worthwhile performance.

Hope Davis as Claire was successfully commanding and narcissistic. However, Hopkins' overemotional acting effort as Robert subtracted from the positive acting ensemble of the film. Director John Madden should of have called a better game here by not asking his audience to be in a state of continuous gloom by incorporating way too much grief in the film's protagonist.

Writer David Auburn's monotone scribe should have received a few more writing touchups from Auburn's professors at Auburn University (it was way too easy, so I had to go there). 'Proof" has the adequate formula to be an intellectual viewing but it does not equate itself to be of sheer entertainment value.

*** Average.