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"PROOF" (2005) (Gwyneth Paltrow, Anthony Hopkins) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Heavy None Moderate Minor None Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild None Minor None Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy Minor Heavy Moderate Minor QUICK TAKE: Drama: The adult daughter of a brilliant mathematician worries that she may have inherited his dementia, all while trying to prove that she authored a groundbreaking mathematical proof that others believe her father penned. PLOT: Once upon a time, Catherine (GWYNETH PALTROW) was a promising if unfocused mathematician who seemed likely to follow in the footsteps of her brilliant father Robert (ANTHONY HOPKINS). Yet, when he eventually slipped into progressively worsening dementia, she gave up everything to care for him in his Chicago home, always worried that she might have somehow inherited his mental condition. Now that he's recently died, her mental state has only worsened. Compounding the matter is that Robert's former student and now teacher Hal (JAKE GYLLENHAAL) wants to go through his mentor's prolific if mostly deranged writings in hopes that there might be some mathematical nugget hidden somewhere among the nonsense. When Catherine's efficient sister Claire (HOPE DAVIS) arrives from New York wanting to help her settle their father's estate, things only become tenser. With the discovery of a potentially groundbreaking mathematical proof, Catherine claims that it's actually hers. Yet, as the others question that claim, she only sinks deeper into questioning her own sanity, all as she recalls her previous interactions with her father. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Unless they're fans of someone in the cast or the subject matter, the latter will likely limit the number of kids interested in seeing it. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For some sexual content, language and drug references. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: GWYNETH PALTROW plays a young woman and former mathematical student who left school to care for her ailing father. Following his death, she worries that she may have inherited his mental illness all while trying to prove that she penned a groundbreaking mathematical proof. She uses brief strong profanity and has sex with Hal. ANTHONY HOPKINS plays her now dead father who's seen in flashback and imagined scenes. Once a brilliant mathematician, he eventually developed mental problems that inhibited his genius. He briefly uses brief strong profanity. HOPE DAVIS plays Catherine's pragmatic sister who arrives in town following their father's death and tries to help out, but does so with a certain lack of tact and spoken doubts that her sister could have penned the proof. She drinks and is drunk in one scene. JAKE GYLLENHAAL plays Robert's former protégé and current teacher who wants to find out whether his mentor wrote anything of note during his dementia. He ends up falling for Catherine with whom he has sex. He uses some profanity and drinks and is drunk in one scene. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this drama that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 2 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Several instances of sexually related dialogue are present, as is a partially seen sexual encounter (with kissing, disrobing, movement and sounds). Some bad attitudes are present, mainly between sisters after their father's death and over his descent into dementia (which leads to tense family material). Characters drink (a few to the point of intoxication) while some miscellaneous ones smoke and a drug-related comment is made. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there's some bouncy camerawork in several scenes. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE We see an imagined or remembered bit where Robert gives Catherine a bottle of champagne for her birthday. She takes a swig from it, but then realizes it's wine (in a champagne-shaped bottle). Catherine offers some champagne to Hal, saying he can have the rest. He takes the bottle, but declines the offering, stating he's driving. Claire and others have champagne at a wake where others also drink wine and beer. One man appears to be drunk, Catherine holds a bottle of some sort, and Hal offers Catherine some champagne (she declines) and admits he's a little drunk while hitting on her. Claire looks intoxicated (and Hal comments the next morning that she was doing some serious drinking) and we then see various beer bottles (two displayed quite prominently) around the house the next morning. We then see Claire who has a hangover. Hal mentions drinking, sex and drugs regarding mathematicians, followed by talk that the drugs were amphetamines. Later, Catherine jokingly asks him if he's tried speed, adding that she's heard it helps (regarding his working state). While intoxicated, Hal kisses Catherine and the two do so passionately. BLOOD/GORE None. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Catherine catches Hal trying to sneak out one of her late father's notebooks (but it only contains writing about her). Claire wants to help Catherine, but does so by trying to dominate her into following her decisions. That results in them getting into several heated arguments. Claire wants to sell their father's house, resulting in Catherine being upset with her over that, as well as never having been around to care for their father while he was alive (although Claire does say she paid off his mortgage). This strife eventually results in Catherine telling her sister, "I hate you." FRIGHTENING SCENES We briefly see a lumbering zombie in a movie playing on TV, along with a frightened looking woman trying to get away/hide. GUNS/WEAPONS None. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "It's a depressing f*cking number," "Bullsh*t," "No sh*t," "D*ckhead," "Bug-house" and "Nut house" (mental institution), "Nuts" (crazy), "Nerds," "Raging geeks," "Get the hell out of my house," "Freaking," "It really pisses me off," "Hell of a guy," "Christ no" and "I'm freezing my ass off." Catherine wears several tops that show her bare midriff to varying degrees. About an incident the night before, Claire asks Catherine if she told one cop to have sex with the other's mother. Catherine states that she did, but not using those words. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A tiny bit of suspenseful music plays from a zombie movie on TV. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 2 "f" words, 6 "s" words, 2 slang terms for sex ("laid"), 1 slang term using male genitals ("d*ckhead"), 6 hells, 2 asses (1 used with "hole"), 5 uses of "G-damn," 4 of "Jesus," 2 each of "Oh God," "Oh Jesus" and "Oh my God" and 1 use each of "Christ," "For Christ's sakes," "For God's sakes" and "Swear to God." SEX/NUDITY Talking about geeky band members (of which he is one), Hal jokes to Catherine that they "get laid" surprisingly often. About an incident the night before, Claire asks Catherine if she told one cop to have sex with the other's mother. Catherine states that she did, but not using those words. Claire asks Catherine if she's sleeping with a guy, prompting Catherine to reply, "Ewwww, no." While changing clothes, we briefly see Catherine in her bra that shows some cleavage. Hal mentions drinking, sex and drugs regarding mathematicians. While intoxicated, Hal kisses Catherine and the two do so passionately, with them lying down on something and continuing, clothed, but she stops them for a moment, stating that she's out of practice. They then continue, remove their shirts (we see her in her bra) and we then see him on top of her (a head and shoulders shot), with some slight/slow movement. Both climax, but she then starts crying (there's never any explicit nudity, although we see the very top of her bare chest while under him). Catherine wears a somewhat tight tank-top that exposes her bare midriff. Thinking he had sex with her just to get her dad's journal, Catherine tells Hal, "You got laid and you got the notebook." SMOKING A few miscellaneous characters briefly smoke. TENSE FAMILY SCENES We hear that Robert's funeral is approaching (thus a tense family element for Catherine and Claire) and that he died at the age of 63 from an aneurism. At the funeral, Catherine makes an impromptu speech about her father's downturn and then ends that by blurting out that she's happy he's dead (but she later feels bad about that). Claire wants to help Catherine, but does so by trying to dominate her into following her decisions. That results in them getting in several heated arguments. Claire wants to sell their father's house, resulting in Catherine being upset with her over that, as well as never having been around to care for their father while he was alive (although Claire does say she paid off his mortgage). This strife eventually results in Catherine telling her sister, "I hate you." In a flashback, Catherine is worried about her dad when she hasn't heard from him in a while and then when she can't find him in his house (she eventually does). We see a flashback of Robert yelling at Catherine to read his work. She then cries when she realizes it's the ramblings of a man afflicted with dementia. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Dementia and the loose term "insanity," and whether that can be inherited. The notion that you're not crazy if you can ask whether you are or not. The question of what's a great man without his greatness (referring to people who are no longer as sharp as they once were). How to care for mentally and/or physically ailing parents. VIOLENCE Claire and Catherine briefly struggle over a journal, followed by Catherine knocking over a stack of books in anger/frustration. We see Catherine thrashing stuff about in an office in anger/frustration. Reviewed August 22, 2005 / Posted September 23, 2005

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