Proof
April 2006 Reviewed by: Charlotte Meyer Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

Proof is a movie about a schizophrenic math genius (Anthony Hopkins) who is cared for by his daughter Catherine (Gwyneth Paltrow). She knows a little math herself and is maybe a little crazy too. I asked my friend who is a renowned but very sane mathematician to view the movie. "It’s not really about math," he said. "It’s about harder things." Well, it seems to be about math, but it has more to do with all the uncertainty and complexity in human relationships -- where there can never be proof.

When Robert, the Hopkins character, dies, Catherine is left in doubt of her own sanity; she knows how like her father she is. Two other characters enter the scene and complicate matters. Her sister Claire (Hope Davis) bustles in from New York to run the funeral, sell the house, and "take care" of Catherine. Her solicitude only feeds into Catherine’s self-doubt. The other is Hal (Jake Gyllenhaal), her father’s ex-student, who comes to explore his office hoping to discover proofs. All he finds are dozens of handwritten notebooks full of gibberish. Catherine suspects him of exploiting the situation to advance himself professionally. At the party after the funeral, Catherine and Hal finally come together. She gives him the key to a locked drawer in the office where he discovers the manuscript he thinks he’s been looking for. But doubt arises for each of them as a result, and there’s no "proof" one can give the other.

Based on the play by David Auburn, the screenplay is subtle and literary. Although the action covers only a few days, the plot swings between past and present in complex ways. The acting is simply superb. Over his career, Hopkins has played the widest imaginable range of characters, from Hannibal Lector to Stevens in Remains of the Day, and here he creates a character who’s both overbearing and gentle. Jake Gyllenhaal shows his developing range too, playing a tender lover to Paltrow's character. John Madden, who directed Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love, knows how to get the best out of her.

The DVD is a pleasure in its own right. The colors are rich and deep, the dialogue always crisp and clear. The cinematography by Alwin Kuchler uses lots of slow, long shots that enhance the interplay among the characters. The intimacy of the script works well on the home screen. The movie looks beautiful, although it’s set inside for the most part. Stephen Warbeck’s music score is pleasingly understated.

If you enjoy Proof, you’ll find the three production featurettes a nice way to extend the experience. There is the option of re-watching the film accompanied by John Madden’s commentary. You’ll learn a lot about the decisions he made in translating the play into a film. The second, a making-of feature, lets you hear the actors talking about their roles. Finally, you get a French language track and Spanish subtitles.

Proof may be about "harder things," but it’s very easy to watch.

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