Gwyneth Paltrow is better than her material in “Proof,” a serious new movie that’s a little too obviously based on a stage play. She also originated the role onstage.
The film begins with a dialogue between Paltrow’s character, Catherine, and her father, played by Anthony Hopkins. The upshot of the conversation is that the father is actually dead, and merely visiting.
| Stagy talkfest: Gwyneth Paltrow is better than the material here, giving an honest performance as the depressed daughter of a math genius (Anthony Hopkins). The talky movie’s stage origins are all too apparent, despite some incisive moments.
Rated: PG-13 for language, subject matter. Now showing: Loews at Alderwood, Guild 45th, Pacific Place 11. |
A world-famous math genius, he left behind a brilliant legacy, most of which was developed in his early 20s. The movie is clear that most mathematical geniuses have done their best work by the time they are 25 years old, a cheerful thought that sets the tone for the picture.
His daughter, who’s already 27, is burdened by this legacy. And she’s haunted by her dad’s mental illness, wondering whether some of her own psychological quirks – like carrying on conversations with her dead father, I suppose – might be evidence of an inherited disorder.
Having taken care of Dad for the last few years, Catherine is now distraught and at loose ends. It doesn’t help that her older sister (Hope Davis) arrives, with an annoyingly chipper attitude and plans for Catherine’s future.
Meanwhile, in her father’s old office, a math student (Jake Gyllenhaal) pores over the old man’s notes. While wading through notebooks full of gibberish, he makes a discovery that could change everything.
Anthony Hopkins wanders in and out of the movie, either as a ghostly presence or a flashback. His addled chemistry with Paltrow is good, in marked contrast to the one-dimensional roles played by Davis and the out-pointed Gyllenhaal (who doesn’t look much like a math whiz).
Director John Madden, who guided Paltrow to an Oscar in “Shakespeare in Love,” tries a few bits of flash to disguise the stage origins of “Proof,” but the material remains talky and static. David August and Rebecca Miller adapted his play, and although there remain some barbed, incisive moments, the script is thick. Strangely, we don’t learn all that much about mathematics.
Paltrow obviously understands the character, and digs into Catherine’s depression and unpleasantness without vanity. The movie’s equation is stacked against her, but Paltrow at least bring honesty to a stranded character.
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