 |
 |
Proof of Life (2000)
|
Genre: |
Drama |
Director: |
Taylor Hackford |
Rating: |
R |
Running Time: |
132 Minutes |
Release Date: |
December 8, 2000 |
Official Website: |
|
Movie Trailer: |
|
Discuss and vote: |
|
|
Cast: |
Meg Ryan
Russell Crowe
David Morse
Pamela Reed
David Caruso
|
|
Pickup Line: A Great Emotional Ride!
Quickie: An American couple living in Tecala, South America find their lives turned upside down when the husband gets kidnapped by the Liberation Army of Tecala. A top-notch Kidnap and Ransom negotiator thus comes to the rescue to free the husband, only to find himself falling for the wife. Hmmm...Makes you wonder if he's even gonna try to rescue the husband, huh?
The Long Review:
"Proof Of Life" is a worthwhile movie that delivers action, drama, romance, and suspense as it depicts a harrowing tale of kidnap and conflict. Set in Tecala, South America, this movie tells the story of a couple, Alice and Peter Bowman (Meg Ryan and David Morse) living in South America, whose lives turn to turmoil when Peter is kidnapped and held for ransom by the ELT (Liberation Army of Tecala). Enter Terry Thorne (Russell Crowe), Kidnap and Ransom netotiator extraordinaire, who is determined, against all odds i.e. zero financing from his London-based company, to bring Peter home. Oh, and as if the situation isn't bad enough, he also falls for Peter's nervous wreck of a wife, Alice. Can you imagine what the poor guy must be going through? On the one hand, he's this hero who promised a grieving wife that he would bring her husband home; on the other hand, a part of him must wish that the guy never comes back so that he can get it on with the wife. Man, oh, man.
This movie has quite an interesting plot that explores and explains every angle, nook and cranny before it forges on full force. We get to know the characters and learn about the issues before we plunge into the entire sordid tale. Unfortunately, this comes with a price: It's a slow climb to the climax, especially where it concerns the not-meant-to-be budding romance between Ryan and Crowe. So whatever kind of nail-biting tension the director was trying to build just wasn't doing its job. Ebert shares the exact same sentiments, commenting, "I found the movie absorbing in its details and persuasive in its performances, but the overall flight was somehow without lift. I wanted the tension wound tighter." It's touching and romantic and all to watch them bat their long eyelashes at each other and look at each other with intense longing but we'd rather see some real action. No, we don't mean bedroom action; we mean combat, heroic, "You go, Crowe!" action on the Tecala highlands where David Morse's character is being held.
Other than that, we have no other major complaints. Once we got over the diappointment of the movie unfolding at a snail's pace, we found the insight to appreciate its merits. For one, it boasts of some great acting. And its sentimental touches, such as the apparent love between kidnapped husband and waiting wife and the tender moments between hero to the rescue and waiting wife, give the movie a welcome emotional aspect. It's a good contrast to the rat-ta-tat combat scenes sprinkled across the film. Speaking of rat-ta-tat combat scenes, the ones in this movie are quite adrenaline-pumping! They're well-choreographed and nicely executed. They sure bring back childhood memories of playing with walkie-talkies and rolling around in the mud! Aside from emotion and action, "Proof Of Life" also manages to fit in some humour...not too much but just enough to offer some comic relief.
Overall, "Proof Of Life" is a good movie worth seeing if you're in the mood for something intense, not to mention politically relevant. Or if you just want to see for yourself the sexual tension between now-lovers Meg Ryan and Russell Crowe, then by all means, here's your proof!
In Two Minutes:
Did you know?
- Apparently, a graphic sex scene between Meg Ryan and Russell Crowe were cut from the movie because it um...hit too close to home. Sure, yeah, but we're sure the audiences wouldn't have minded! Unless, of course, you're Dennis Quaid.
- Speaking of hitting too close to home, the cast and crew pretty much lived out the tale they were trying to depict in this film. Kidnappings were rampant during filming, necessitating disguised Marines to guard the cast and crew during production. Perhaps Dennis Quaid should've hired a Marine of his own to protect estranged wife Meg Ryan from the snatching clutches of Russell Crowe! Harty-har-har!
- A tragic freak accident occurred during the filming of "Proof Of Life." David Morse's (Peter Bowman) double, Will Gaffney, died when the truck he was riding in inexplicably veered off the road and down a ravine. David Morse was doubly shaken because if it wasn't for a personal matter he had to leave the set for to attend to, that would have been him in the truck.
|
Thumbs Down