Reviews

This film has long been a personal favourite, and I was recently prompted to watch it again on DVD, after the recent AFI (Australian Film Institute) Awards in November 2005, during which Russell Crowe (hosting the ceremony) presented the Best Actor award to Hugo Weaving for "Little Fish" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0382810/). These two actors, since filming "Proof" together 15 years ago, have both carved out significant international acting careers.

"Proof" is a "three-hander" that you may think was adapted from a play, but is actually an original screenplay, by Jocelyn Moorhouse who also directs. The film revolves around a lonely, isolated blind man (Weaving) whose only outlet is, oddly, photography. His housekeeper (Genevieve Picot) abuses the power that she has over him due to his disability. She then becomes threatened by his new friendship with a kitchen hand (Crowe). As the twisted love triangle (of sorts) plays out, flashbacks show us how a blind boy's sad childhood led to an obsession with truth and a reluctance to trust.

This is a beautiful film that I enjoy more and more each time I watch it, thanks to a brilliant script, and great performances by all three leading actors.

Into a painted landscape come four men. Three policemen on horseback, and a native tracker leading them on foot. They are chasing another native, accused of murder, who is occasionally glimpsed in the distance. As they trek further into the wilderness, the fugitive remains elusive, and the brutal aggression of the expedition leader turns the mission sour.

Brilliantly written and directed by Rolf de Heer, this is a great film. Performances by the two main protagonists, David Gulpilil as the Tracker, and Gary Sweet as the Fanatic, are excellent. And the stark beauty of the Australian outback has never been captured so lovingly on film.

A post-apocalyptic future gets the "Gilliam" treatment - and it's visually stunning! But is this future real ? - or is it the psychotic imagining of mental patient, James Cole (Bruce Willis). That is one of the delightful conundrums of the film, and it is not resolved until near the end (it IS resolved, despite some idiotic postings on IMDB suggesting otherwise).

Don't dismiss the film simply because of Bruce Willis' name on the cast list - he is far less annoying in this film than in every other film that I've seen him in. Likewise, Brad Pitt's atypical role is thoroughly entertaining.

Even after many viewings (about 7 in my case), the themes of madness and fate, and the `monkey' motif stand up strongly. One of my favourites.