Proof

For my Social Psychology class, my teacher showed this movie for one of our first lessons. The point of the movie was to not look at Martin, the main character, as a blind man, but as a fully capable person who was incidentally blind.

Martin, the main character, is a blind man who uses a camera and pictures as his "eyes," trusting the character of Andy to faithfully describe these pictures so that Martin can "see" them. However, trust doesn't come easily to Martin, who doubts many people in his life including his housekeeper, Celia, who is madly in love with him, and even his own Mother, who through flashbacks we see was never really trusted. Martin giving his trust to Andy, someone he barely knows, makes Celia angry and sets off a chain of events.

The story evolves from there, each scene an important piece of the puzzle (which is refreshing, no scenes are put there just to be there). The main theme of this movie is the element of trust, which Martin seems to lack, Andy seems eager to give, and Celia wants to receive.

Looking at Martin as a person, not as a blind man, makes this movie all the more rich. Martin is easily related to - Trusting someone and expecting honesty is something we all want. Similarly, Martin wants control of his life (and is by all means capable of it), but he still has that element of vulnerability, despite how much he tries to deny it. Martin must also accept the fact that people are not always perfect. They lie sometimes, and sometimes that's okay.

All in all, this movie is amazingly crafted, well written, and funny.

If you are a Russell Crowe fan like me you owe it to yourself to go rent this early example of his work, which deservedly won many Australian film awards in 1991. The plot centers around 3 people - Martin (Hugo Weaving), blind since birth and distrustful of the world, his manipulative housekeeper Celia (Genevieve Picot), and Martin's young friend Andy (Crowe), whom he meets early in the movie. Martin feels that everyone lies to him, even his mother, because he is blind and "because they can." He takes pictures of his world in order to have "proof" that what people are telling him is true. Andy is the person he recruits to describe his photographs to him. The acting is first rate and the movie is in turn sad, funny, dark, and heart warming. In the end, Martin learns that although no one is perfect, sometimes you just have to trust in love. Highly recommended!

Aussie Films are much like the Ford Motor Company. They're either a world beater - or mainstream mediocrity! This little offering is the Shelby Mustang of 90's movie-making.

Weaving is spellbinding (FORGET Agent Smith of THE MATRIX) as a blind photographer who has this unshakeable belief that people lie to him because of his blindness. His world revolves around photographs that others must visually interpret for him. He has a housekeeper that wishes she could do more than housekeep and the day he meets Andy, a dishwasher at the local restaurant, is the first day of a new beginning...but for who?

Suffice to say, Crowe as Andy shows all the portents of future stardom simply by being Russell Crowe. He is superb without really doing anything. For just a three character film, this is spellbinding stuff (much like THE INTERVIEW).

No more need be divulged. I would simply say this is one of the best films I have ever seen. It deserved every award it won. This is a 10! See it!

Goodness, this is a terrific movie! I was lucky to get my hands on it, as it has VERY limited access where I'm from. If you can get your hands on this film, buy it! And if you don't like it....give it to me! ok, lol.

Proof is not a comedy. It is not even a black comedy (or black, BLACKEST comedy) though it has some moments that will make you laugh or smile broadly ("You killed ugly!"). It isn't a movie so heavy either that you'll feel like someone's been slapping you throughout the film either. It is very poignant, often surreal, but very, very intelligent. Proof is a very complex movie. In other words, you can't label the characters, 'evil' or 'good' and be done with it. You got to look deeper, and the actors subtly bring it out to an external medium and you'll see it. You just gotta remember to open your eyes.

Hugo Weaving was amazing here. In fact they were all good! Including the dog. Weaving really makes you think he's a blind person, and I almost thought for a second he was until I heard "Mr Anderson" ringing in my head again.

Proof is probably the movie that comes closest to reality in people's lives. And the drive-in scene is priceless.

Proof is a subtle little gem of a film that gets under your skin, forcing multiple viewings. I love movies that have a minimal amount of characters who interact in complex ways, and this film delivers that beautifully. NOT a comedy, as it states on the video box, although it does have very witty and clever moments to spare.