I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

There are better movies of two hours length. I loved the actress'performance.

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Blind people are normal people like you, me and everybody else. They do not need any kind of extra sympathy which falls in the purview of a politically correct standpoint. It is with some of these key pieces of essential information about visually impaired people that Australian director Jocelyn Moorhouse has managed to create a highly original screenplay which succeeds in revealing inner secrets and hidden motives of visually challenged persons. This is something which Martin discovers when he comes into contact with his caretaker Celia. Their relationship gives birth to a new perspective about the oppressor and the oppressed which is exacerbated to a large extent with the sudden arrival of a shady character named Andy. It is said that the betrayal of trust is not a laughing matter. This is something which is responsible for shattering the lives of all protagonists. Ms. Moorhouse has been able to direct a film which has something for everybody. It includes serious entertainment for audiences and some food for thought for film critics. The world of blind people in "Proof" is seen through Martin whose mannerisms convey an important message that blind people have a clear understanding of self esteem. The idea of doing photography through the eyes of a blind person is one of the key highlights of this highly inventive screenplay.

This film was on cable TV in Los Angeles. It caught my eye because of the contrast of a very young Hugo Weaving and the man we've seen in later films. The relationship he has with his "housekeeper" had me staring at the t.v., then slowly sitting down engrossed in the film. Only later when he appeared on screen did I even know Russell Crowe was in the film. He, too, was quite young and rather a sweet character, although he's apparently supposed to be a troublemaker. He's very easy with Weaving's character, very kind, but real.Juxtaposed with the blind photographer having his life recorded in a series of snapshots (that others have to describe to him), is this story being revealed largely through visuals - because he is blind the dialog often has little to do with the activity that is going on around him. We learn more from the non verbal than the verbal. He doesn't have that luxury.His deadpan (because he has no idea what's going on) is priceless.*Spoiler* - For example, when he is at the housekeeper's house surrounded by photos of himself - We are dumbstruck; he is clueless. His lack of reaction makes the evidence of her obsession all the more creepy.In the end, the movie is about trust, and about the risk we take when we trust other people. And about the isolation that we face when we don't.

I just watched on video "Proof", a 1991 film from Australia that seemed like it would be a comedy about a blind man who takes pictures to "prove" the experiences he has had in life. This film was many things - unique, subtle, intriguing, and a very interesting look at the psychology of human interaction - but I fail to see how it was a "comedy", not that that at all detracts from this good film!The main character, Martin (Hugo Weaving; flashback scenes from when he was perhaps eight or nine years old played by Jeffrey Walker) is blind from birth and, though it isn't really explained how, develops a distrust of people, including his Mother (Heather Mitchell). He starts taking pictures to prove that in fact he is experiencing what others say he is; as an adult, it becomes compulsive.The problem in "proving" one's experiences in this way is that it relies on a sighted person to detail the pictures, and Martin finds such a trusted friend in Andy (Russell Crowe). Celia (Geneviève Picot) has an unhealthy relationship with Martin, frustrated as his housekeeper who loves him, but who gets only cruel coolness from Martin. In jealousy and anger, she attempts to disrupt the friendship that Martin and Andy have begun.I liked this quite unique film that really doesn't fit any easy categories, except perhaps as a quirky low-key drama. It was very interesting to have a deep focus on just three characters (and just a few other minor ones, including the guide dog Bill).To be a little critical, I found it a bit difficult to believe that Martin had such a seemingly unfounded distrust of people, as all of the flashbacks to his childhood seemed to show his Mother loving and not misleading her son. Celia's motivation for love after working for years as Martin's help and nothing more was a little difficult for me to understand. I really liked Andy, but didn't understand his motivation either to so quickly agree to be the photo interpreter and then dive into a friendship.That said, "Proof" was a pleasure to watch. It was almost surreal in a sense, and quirkily fun to see the characters interact. The film dealt in an interesting way with the principles of honesty and trust. I would like to see the film again soon, and suspect it will be even more interesting in the second viewing. --Dilip Barman, May 8, 2004

What a smashing movie! Russell Crowe and Hugo (The Matrix and Reloaded) star and when I saw this 12 years ago, I was agog about the script and the performances. This was Crowe's 2nd film, which played only in art houses in the US, but showed what a dynamic actor Crowe could be.