With the Miramax/Disney battle concluded, a hefty backlog of titles are finally being unloaded into theaters. Miramax practically has a new film being released each week from now to the end of September. One of them, Proof, is fortunate enough to be getting released around the beginning of school year, since the topic is math.
As a general rule, most people hate math, but we love movies about it. After all, A Brilliant Mind, did win best picture. Proof (not to be confused with 1992's Proof or 2000's Proof of Life both of which also starred Russell Crowe) follows suit with the story of a mentally unstable genius who dies, leaving behind one of the most tremendous mathematic discoveries of our time. He also leaves behind an equally intelligent daughter who struggles with following in her father's footsteps, not just in science but in life.
The screenplay is the latest experiment in which an award winning play has been adapted by its original author for the screen. Last year Patrick Marber did it with Closer. David Auburn's Proof won a Pulitzer award and stormed its way into theaters, beating out theatrical power houses like Tom Stoppard. I can hear you asking yourself, "so what... is the movie going to be any good?" After all, Closer was about people's sexual tension and adultery. Proof is about people's mental tensions and math.
In its favor, the cast of Proof is impressive. The film stars Anthony Hopkins, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jake Gyllenhaal. Ignoring the fact that their latest films didn't do so hot (Alexander, Sky Captain, and Day After Tomorrow respectively), the three give strong impressions in the trailer. Director John Madden hasn't done much since Captain Corelli's Mandolin four years ago, but this is the Academy Award nominated director who brought us Shakespeare In Love.
Cast, director and award winnng theatrical script aside, this movie doens't have much going for it. As part of Miramax' "movie of the week" program it's not likely to get much marketing, especially since it comes out one month from today. The studio hasn't even released a poster for it.
Check out the trailer and decide for yourself. Proof long divides its way into theaters Septmber 16.
