Proof

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Proof

PG-13

2005

1h 40m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

62%

Tomatometer

142 Reviews

59%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Catherine (Gwyneth Paltrow) is a 27-year-old grieving after the loss of her father (Anthony Hopkins), a genius mathematician whose mind gradually deteriorated from mental illness. With her sister, Claire (Hope Davis), urging Catherine to leave their family home, and an ambitious student (Jake Gyllenhaal) searching through her father's notes, Catherine struggles to keep her composure and her sanity in this drama adapted from the stage play by David Auburn.

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Critics Consensus

Gwyneth Paltrow and Anthony Hopkins give exceptional performances in a film that intelligently tackles the territory between madness and genius.

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Zadie Smith

Daily Telegraph (UK)

It's that breed of verbal swordplay that so impresses on stage while seeming so redundant and brittle on screen.

Jan 17, 2018

Full Review

Victoria Segal

New Statesman

... Proof seems like no more than a fraction of a cinematic experience, a string of emotional calculations that fails to provide a satisfying solution.

Sep 26, 2017

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Scott Tobias

AV Club

Madden stages the action with a minimum of imagination and gets a career-worst performance out of Davis in a key role, but the material still sputters to life on the strength of the writing and Paltrow's commitment to the part.

Nov 25, 2006

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PJ Nabarro

Patrick Nabarro

An unlovely film about an unlovely group of people.

Rated: 1/5

Jun 3, 2020

Full Review

Joshua Starnes

ComingSoon.net

Proof is a smart film, but it tries too hard. It wears its heart on its sleeve, and the pathos becomes a bit much because there is little to balance it out.

Rated: 5/10

Apr 25, 2011

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Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

A limp, and utterly pointless melodrama that's never as intelligent as it thinks.

Aug 20, 2010

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Kyle M

Evokes a comforting sense of insightful realism amid the performative grapple throughout this bland melodrama, resulting in a mere showcase chemistry mixture bonding over plot engagement. (B-)

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/07/25

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Jeffrey P

Well performed and it wasn’t a bore, but ultimately it was much ado about nothing.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

06/19/25

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Lucy B

This is one of those not for everyone, not universally liked, sleepers for me. I will preface this and say I hate Paltrow. Long before Goop I thought she was a terrible actress and now I also think she’s a terrible human. Even with that this is a film I come back to time and again and is a favorite. I understand the main character. I feel her pain and struggle. After countless watches this still always gets a tear and I love it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/31/24

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KerryWhite's S

Rating: 7/10. 74/100

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/13/23

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Ken R

Proof – Top Grade As motion picture studies of mental illness go, Proof would have to be regarded as one of the better attempts. All central performances are on target with Paltrow and Hopkins pulling out all stops, bringing their father-daughter character's personal dilemmas sharply into believable focus. John Madden's (Mrs Brown '97) assured direction keeps the details and pace in perfect harmony - while milking the nuances of the excellent screenplay (co-written by David Auburn from his Pulitzer Prize-winning play to full potential, at no time does this ever feel stagey. Proof is as entertaining as it is an intelligent observation of characters on the edge of understood normality - struggling to maintain their grip on reality and maintaining a sense of worth within the realm of society, and in this case, the world of mathematics. Production values are superior, featuring cinematography by Award nominated DOP Alwin H. Küchler - while Oscar-winning composer Stephen Warbeck won the Georges Delerue Award for his fine score. Superior entertainment. Note: An in-context, sex scene makes it more recommended for a mature audience.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/12/23

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ashley h

Proof is an excellent film. It is about the daughter of a brilliant but mentally disturbed mathematician who tries to come to grips with her possible inheritance: his insanity. Gwyneth Paltrow and Anthony Hopkins give amazing performances. The screenplay is well written. John Madden did a great job directing this movie. I enjoyed watching this movie because of the drama and mystery. Proof is a must see.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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John Madden

Director

Gwyneth Paltrow

Catherine

Anthony Hopkins

Robert

Jake Gyllenhaal

Hal

Hope Davis

Claire

Gary Houston

Professor Jay Barrow

Proof: Official Clip - Take It

2:05

Proof: Official Clip - Coming on Strong

2:11

Proof: Official Clip - Glad He's Dead

2:13

Proof: Official Clip - Claire Questions Catherine

2:10

Proof: Official Clip - I Want to Help

2:10

Proof: Official Clip - Calling the Cops on Hal

2:13

Proof: Official Clip - A Proof!

1:42

Proof: Official Clip - Robert's Supposed Breakthrough

2:13

Proof: Official Clip - I Always Liked You

2:04

Proof: Official Clip - Raging Geeks

2:08

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Synopsis

Catherine (Gwyneth Paltrow) is a 27-year-old grieving after the loss of her father (Anthony Hopkins), a genius mathematician whose mind gradually deteriorated from mental illness. With her sister, Claire (Hope Davis), urging Catherine to leave their family home, and an ambitious student (Jake Gyllenhaal) searching through her father's notes, Catherine struggles to keep her composure and her sanity in this drama adapted from the stage play by David Auburn.

Director: John Madden
Producer: John Hart, Jeff Sharp, Robert Kessel
Screenwriter: David Auburn, David Auburn, Rebecca Miller
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: Hart-Sharp Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Drug Reference|Some Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 23, 2005, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $7.5M
Runtime: 1h 40m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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