 |
| Proof of Life |
|
|
| Cast:
|
| Meg Ryan... |
...Alice Bowman |
| Russell Crowe... |
...Terry Thorne |
| David Morse... |
...Peter Bowman |
| David Caruso... |
...Dino |
| Pamela Reed... |
...Janis Bowman |
|
- Directed by: Taylor Hackford
Written by: Tony Gilroy
Rated R for violence, language, and some drug material
Reviewed by Michael Brendan
www.criticallyill.net
|
 |
| "Proof" Positive |
"Proof of Life" is a movie that didn't quite go into the
direction I had anticipated, but to my surprise, I found myself
appreciating the film more for it. The story thrusts us into the
big profit business of international kidnapping. To the loved ones
of those taken hostage, it is emotional. To those holding the
victim, it is strictly a business - as we are told by one of the
movie's central characters.
Peter Bowman (David Morse) is an American engineer currently
residing in the fictitious country of Tecala as he oversees the
construction of a dam. Holding a firm belief in the project, the
foreign stay hasn't taken as big a toll on him as it has his wife,
Alice (Meg Ryan) - growing increasingly tired of spending her days
in solitude, waiting for her husband to come home from work. One
morning, Peter is suddenly taken hostage by anti-government forces
during a raid on a capital city. When the captors learn his
identity, they demand a ransom of three million dollars for his
safe return. The situation grows more grim by the minute as
Peter's Houston-based company - on the verge of bankruptcy - has
made the inauspicious decision to cancel his kidnapping insurance
policy and therefore, are unable to provide the necessary funds to
have him freed.
Alice's dilemma soon catches the attention of Terry Thorne
(Russell Crowe), an Australian-born SAS agent who has handled a
plethora of high-profile kidnapping cases. Despite the cancellation
of Peter's insurance, Thorne agrees to assist Alice in the
negotiation process, helping to facilitate the return of her
spouse.
As the haggling becomes mired in a state of prolixity, Peter is
moved from a guerilla camp high in the Andes to another camp in the
Amazon jungle, all the while enervating into his own state of
physical and mental dilapidation.
The situation becomes even more complicated when Alice - whose
own emotional demons have been magnified due to her growing
trepidation - slowly begins to realize her subtle-yet-cognizant
attraction toward the man assisting her.
Much has been made in magazine articles and tabloid television
shows regarding the off-camera romance between Crowe and Ryan
during the movie's production, although the film surprisingly
stands potent on its own terms - holding my interest to the point
where I never became distracted by all I had heard or read prior to
its screening. Despite a relatively lengthy runnng time, director
Taylor ("An Officer and a Gentleman", "The Devil's Advocate")
Hackford keeps the story moving at a solid pace, and the screenplay
(based upon the Vanity Fair article "Adventures in the Ransom
Trade" by William Prochnau) provides more than enough details
surrounding the business of K & R (kidnapping and ransom) to quench
my inherent thirst for the acquisition of knowledge.
Reportedly, a rather sultry love scene between Ryan and Crowe
was edited out because of fears that it may cause attention to
shift to the now notorious tabloid reports. I wonder though, if it
was even necessary to the storyline in the first place. While
there are certainly hints of an attraction between the fearful
Alice and the protective Terry Thorne, it never reaches a level of
romantic consummation. Thinking back on the movie, I can't
recall a point where a scene of the sort would justifiably fit in.
The attraction they feel toward one another isn't so much a product
of physical eroticism as a necessity of emotion.
Both Meg Ryan and Russell Crowe do a nice job of maintaining
the cognizance of what their respective characters must follow
through with and accomplish in spite of the undeniable
feelings lingering between them. As the unfortunate husband, the
always terrific character actor David Morse brings an added measure
of authenticity to the terrifying situation that has taken him by
surprise, maintaining that veracity through scenes where he starts
taking matters into his own hands - the need to return to his wife
in complete control of his mind.
"Proof of Life" succeeds in displaying a veritable depiction of
a highly volatile situation being solved by those intelligent and
courageous enough to emerge victorious, yet vulnerable enough to
come out of it forever changed.
|
Please feel free to e-mail me with any comments regarding the above review at mclarney@hotmail.com
Return to Previous Page
|
|
|
