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Deliberately paced, but not slow.

Much better than what I expected, after all this is the same man that directed the terrible "Devil's Advocate".The Actors.Russel Crowe, again plays "himself", quiet, strong, silent, sure of himself, and appears quite believable. Meg Ryan, is still beautiful, but deglamourizes herself a little, and it works. David Caruso, always a treat to see him, plays a very cool security specialist, that just becomes euphoric at the end and kind of spoils it, but, it had to be like that, otherwise the movie would be too much of "a downer". David Morse, very nicely playing an engineer with a social conscience.The plot, is quite realistic, showing that the hostage negotiations take a long time (over 4 months), not like in the movies where commandos save the day in under 24 hours.Very realistic portrayal of the national negotiators that just want to take advantage of the stressed relatives of the hostage, those of us in the third world know that to be a familiar story.The romantic relationship between the leads (the worried wife and the cool negotiator), nicely underplayed (I loved it when she absently-minded drinks from his beer glass while David Caruso silently just watches it all, or when she rubs his shoulders after a hard day's work), and still, they did NOT have sex, because, quite logically, she was waiting for her husband (shocking for a Hollywood film, isn't it).In the end the husband and wife realize that they were losing their marriage over stupid things and accept that being married requires an effort.Bottom line:If you like your entertainment real: Go see this one! If you want a "Rambo" flick: Avoid at all costs.*****SPOILER ALERT********No, in the end she doesn't leave her husband for the negotiator, Crowe goes home alone, sorry if it isn't Hollywood enough for some, great REALISTIC ending for me.

Succeeds as an action film, fails as anything else

Someone please explain to me why Meg Ryan was cast for this film. For an action movie, Russell Crowe is a natural choice, even though he's playing a less brutal role here than he usually does. But Meg Ryan? Generally she works best in romantic comedies, and while there's no comedy in Proof of Life, the screenwriters do attempt to insert some romance here... which leads to the major downfall of this movie-- romance has no place in this action film.

Why is this? Well, for one thing, Meg Ryan's character is married. For another thing, Russell Crowe's character is married. And the movie gives us little indication that, overall, either of these two characters are unhappy with their marriages. On the contrary, Russell Crowe's character is shown to be unhappy that his job sends him away from home-- a plot vein that is quickly cut and discarded in order to put his character together with Meg Ryan for the rest of the movie, whether it makes sense or not.

Russell Crowe plays Terry Thorne, prime-time hostage negotiator sent in to manage the case of Peter Bowman (David Morse), an oil executive abducted by a South American terrorist faction. When Bowman's employer divests itself of him following his abduction and the ensuing ransom, Terry's job is done and he returns home. What follows is one of the most inexplicably ridiculous plot devices I've ever seen, and if not for it (and a contrived Ryan/Crowe scene later in the film), Proof of Life would have been rated higher.

This is an entertaining film with a good bit of action. It's suspenseful, the direction is effective, and the soundtrack is very good. The DVD is a no-frills package unlike Crowe's previous film, but the quality is good in terms of both audio and video. But far too much of this storyline makes far too little real sense for me to recommend that you purchase this DVD.

Over all,quite a good movie

Proof of life is about a woman named Alice Bowman who is unwillingly living in South America because of her husbands work(Peter Bowman played by David Morse).One morning Alice wakes up to find that her husband has been kidnapped by anti-government guerrillas and they want a hefty fee for his ransom.Alice then hires Terry Thorne(Russell Crowe at his finest),an ex-soldier and negotiator.Terry's company collapses so Terry and his friend have to work together with Alice to save Peter and time is running out.There are alot of twists and turns in Proof of Life which is the best thing about this movie.It also has alot of great and not-over-the-top special effects.The start of the movie is very explosive with Terry saving another kidnapped victim.The reason why i gave this film a 7/10 is because of the acting,story(which stays very entertaining and never becomes too slow and boring) and the special effects and guns!(come on they were cool).Proof of Life didn't get any higher than 7/10(which is still a good rating) because of Meg Ryan and some lame dialogue.Meg Ryan and her sister-in-law in this movie are too over the top and annoying. Ryan should just keep on doing what she does best,which is romantic comedies(lol).She's only OK in this movie.Russell Crowe is just great in this movie.His character and storyline are very interesting.Lame and boring dialogue is another problem in Proof of Life(Alice-Things don't happen for a reason...they just happen).What crap.So overall,Proof of Life is quite a good movie and I would advise almost everyboDy to see this movie

Half a movie should have been no movie at all!

This film is very uneven and plays on the public's intelligence. The film was supposed to tell the story of Crowe falling into a deep affair with Ryan's character after her husband (Morse) is kidnapped. But due to test audiences hating the chemistry and idea of an affair between the Crowe and Ryan characters it was edited out! And the film seems half made, they had two options to redeem themselves; focus the action on Morse and Crowe's characters, as Crowe's character tries to rescue him, which would have made a truly great conflict film or focus on the affair and turn the film into a story of moral inbalance between Ryan's character wanting lust or the loyality she should feel for her husband and the abscence of a structured relationship. But instead we get odd dialogue and weird glares between Crowe and Ryan which feels only half complete. It leaves the concept of what happens in your mind should and deservedly so, should happen on screen. A good film it is not! It's a chop job on film and to the viewing audiences intelligence, forcely acted and badly scripted.

The Usual Crap!

Well this is your usual film I might say. Everybody did their jobs, though not splendidly, but just like they are supposed to, with a couple of not so good things thrown into the mix (high level of predictability) that kind of screws it up a little bit. All in all I'll have to say that this film is nothing (really NOTHING) but the usual crap, but at least it is well executed!7 out of 10

Don't believe the hype! This is a classic, yet intelligent action movie.

This is an action movie. Don't believe the hype about it also trying to be some complex love story. It is much more subtle than that, and doesn't take away from the solid acting & lavish cinematography that elevates what could have a been a flat script. This movie definitely has wide appeal, but should not be be so easily dismissed.Although it reminded me of The Negotiator, (action sequence in the beginning, action sequence in the end, negotiation in the middle, interlaced with bit of action) it still manages to stand apart from your typical action fair. Meg Ryan is able to tone herself down and really focus. Russell Crowe is classic alpha-male, intense Russell Crowe. I hope David Morse will finally be recognized for being much more than just another character actor. And it is good to see David Caruso back as the wise cracking friend of RC.Yes, this is worth going to see.

It was cool

Got some spoilers please forgive.This movie was fairly entertaining about a troubled American married couple living in Mexico. The husband gets kidnapped for ransom. The wife is stranded and helpless and very gullable in this fabulous house cursed with scorpions as she is about to give some ransom money to some sleezy guys only to be saved by you name it, Russell Crowe. He's the negotiator or the middle man who negotiates a reasonable ransom for Meg Ryan's husband. Excuse me but I don't remember character names.The setup was interesting and the story line was loosely based on some reporter guys who had been kidnapped and had to deal with the harsh weather conditions among other incredulous misgivings. Then again don't quote me on that. The cinematography and the shots were real and beautiful. I liked seeing my boy Caruso play Crowe's friend and reality check.Now during the course of these two working to save her husband, romantic tensions arise, but they kill me acting like there ain't nothing between them. But the thing that I really appreciated was the kiss. That was the high light of the movie. And after that kiss, it just went down hill from there. I mean I'm being immoral here but, she could have given him some or had a secret affair with Crowe. Men who give there lives and heart don't come very often. And he could have done right by her. He looked so pitiful watching the car drive away with Meg and her husband.

Really Good Movie

When it first started, I wasn't for sure I would like it. It takes place in another country. As it went along, I got more interested. It turned out to be a really good movie. I agree that the story could have went deeper, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

what the hell was I thinking to sit through that?

this movie was so bad, I still remember it, even now. It left an indelible mark on my brain - the bad acting, the overwhelming length that almost drew me to tears. How did I sit through this movie??? Oh yeah, my friend who really really wanted to see it, convinced me to stay...
Was there any redeeming feature to this film for me? The landscape. That was about the only thing that gave the movie any substance at all.Morse and Crowe were wooden, Meg sucks as a serious actress, the plot laughable, the script beyond bad. No wonder Crowe when doing the press junkets for the flick didn't seem to gung-ho about the whole thing. It was awful. Definitely one of the worst of 2000 if you ask me. It rates right up there on the ick factor right along with Moulin Rouge.

A good movie for a night at home

Meg Ryan hires a specialist to come in and help her find a way to get her husband back after he is kidnapped by gurilla fighters in South America. Crowe, the specialist, is extremely suave, calm and collected in dealing with the ransom and Meg Ryan, in her worried state for her husband, is drawn to Crowe. This is a good movie for the man who likes action and the lady who wants a touch of romance.

great movie

I liked this movie a lot. Usually, I prefer watching romantic chick-flicks. this movie however, changed a bit of my perception. Meg Ryan has acted superbly. The same goes for Russell Crowe. The chemistry the two of them share is great. I liked the ending of the movie as it was not predictable and added a good suspense on the future of the negotiator and the victim's wife. Meg Ryan has proved that she's not incapable of acting in thrillers...and she's awesome. Russell Crowe looks smart and Meg Ryan's sister-in-law in the movie has done complete justice to her complex character. The relationship between Meg Ryan's character and her sister-in-law has been carved out very well. David Morse has done an excellent job and should be given such meaningful and intense roles more often. The characters have been well thought of and their weaknesses and strengths have been showed articulately. Overall, a good movie for someone who likes Russell Crowe, Meg Ryan or movies with a good script.

If you haven´t seen this film, I think that you should see it!

This movie is great!It´s not that bad as everbody say...It´s a very good film. Russell Crowe is a very good actor..actually one of the best.Many people think that this is just an ordinary action movie with lots of shooting, that´s totally wrong!It´s very nice and a good acting drama....but it also contains some war scenes with shooting, of course! But it´s a very good film and if you haven´t seen it yet I think that you should do that, because this movie is great!

It's Still The Same Old Story -- Great Play it again, Sam movie!

This is a thriller and somewhat of a horror movie (war horrors) but most of all it is a great LOVE STORY! Very good discretion! Good acting throughout. Keeps you on a limb for a while. The ending -- I don't want to give it away, but those who remember the 40's will chuckle and smile. There are the 2 men, the friend, the airport, the woman. Only the song is missing. Worth a re-watch!

Proof of love please

I won't sum up the plot for you as others have but just have a few comments. I enjoyed the action, the tension of the hostage situation and all the acting was great. But I wish in the beginning they had made Alice's husband a little nicer fellow. He was pretty much a jerk to her and then when he's gone we're supposed to feel like she's tragically missing him? I think Russell Crowe's character was a better man to her. Not to say a wife in that situation should dump her kidnapped husband, but I would have cheered their reunion at the end more if their relationship in the beginning had been more heartfelt.
The location of the movie, Ecuador, is amazing!! The photography was awesome and don't miss the closing credits with aerial views of the country and beautiful Van Morrison song. Breathtaking! Overall, really worth seeing this movie.

Action, romance... everything that a good movie needs!

I saw Proof of life with my friend and I can say that we really liked it. One of the best parts was the end. I couldn't decide was the end sad or happy... on the other hand it was happy but on the other... Maybe everyone can decide themselves. I really recommend!

Dialogues drag on just too long

I can't say that the movie actually met my expectations. I was expecting the story line to be a little more complicated, with a few more twists. I was also expecting there to be more than 5 minutes of actual action.The story line is interesting since there aren't many stories about kidnapping operations out there. But, it is pretty straightforward, with a lone twist at the end. It would have been a complete waste if they had ended up together at the end.The scenery is very nice, and the director makes plenty use of it. I think the one thing that disturbed me the most about the movie was the dialogues: they were too long and mostly not compelling enough. Overall, I noticed that I checked my watch four times during the movie, each time when one of the dialogues just dragged on too long. Usually people complain that action-suspense movies don't spend too much time developing characters; I think this movie errs on the other end of the spectrum, trying to develop the characters through so much dialogue was just boring...

Must see

This is a very good film, Russel Crowe probably practices method acting, like Robert De Nero. Crowe played the part of a mercinary to the tee. He walked, talked, and behaved, as one would. This film is neither politically correct, or Hollywoodish ie Rambo phoneyish. If this film followed a book, the script is very close to the true story.
The strong part of this film is its realism, it conveys a message where you understand the difficulty, hardness, and ruthlessness of the situation. We do not live in a black and white world of politically correctness or Hollywoodism, but a complex one which is grey, not black and white. The answers to questions somtime can not be yes or no, and Crowe realizes this and plays a realist, with a few plot twist or breaks, puts information together for a great conclusion.
This former S.A.S soldier, does a job is the best description for this film. P.S Caruso plays the role of the other mercenary perfectly this could restart his carrier.

Jon Monsarrat review: worth seeing, somewhat slow

I was impressed by Proof of Life and would only make one comment. In most movies, the plot is tightened up to be fast-paced, convincing, make you identify with and care about the characters, and even contain a little moral or have something to say about the human condition.When a film like Proof of Life is based on a true story, there are limits to this. The worst example I can think of being A Civil Action, which I'm sure is true to the story but the ending was not satisfying and deflated the entire film.So it's definitely worth seeing, but it's a little slow, and like real life the there is no consistent "tone" to the plot twists. (The film does not fit neatly into one genre throughout.)Who should see this film:-- Action buffs who won't mind that only some stuff blows up and the film is a little arty-- Drama fans who are curious about the topic, but who are not expecting a romance and won't mind a little violence-- People who'd like some gritty realism concerning Latin American civil uprisingsI give "Proof of Life" a 7 out of 10.

Intelligent Action Film

This is a great, intelligent action film. While the beginning seems to drag as the premise is set-up, it picks up later to keep the viewer hooked. However, the movie falls short when it looks into the emotions of the characters. The film may have been much better had it developed the emotional side more or completely cut it out, creating a strict action genre.Our story has Peter and Alice Bowman (David Morse and Meg Ryan). Peter is an engineer who has traveled to exotic places around the globe in pursuit of his dreams to help others create a better life. Throughout his travels, he has brought his "hippie" wife along and they are happy in a rich, fulfilling, globetrotting life. Their current project is to build a dam in Tecala (a thinly disguised Columbia) to stop the regular flooding, but Alice is feeling world weary. She wants to go home and start a family with Peter. She is equally unhappy about the fact that the money for dam project is coming from an oil company, that wants to get goodwill with the gov't to build a pipeline.The story takes off when Peter is caught in an ambush along with many other people on a major roadway by a guerrilla group. We soon learn that the group, once communist, is now only interested in the cashflow. The incoming cashflow comes from foreigner ransoms and cocaine. The oil pipeline threatens their cocaine operations, so when the group learns of Peter's affiliation with oil company he is not set free but kept for ransom.Enter Terry Thorne (Russell Crowe). He is an extremely professional negotiator, dealing with foreign hostage situations by terrorist groups. Alice is immediately comforted by his apparent understanding and knowledge of these situations.So the movie progresses along two story lines. 1. We see Peter's experience as a hostage. 2. We see Terry and Alice working on the other end to free Peter. Both story lines are clearly and intelligently written. Peter's character is fleshed out much more, as a kind, sensitive man, very much in love with his wife. We also see Terry's ironically successful attempts at negotiating.What works: The intelligent story line of the negotiating process, based on the true stories of kidnappings in South America. Also Peter's life as a hostage is an intriguing dual story line to deal with. This story would have worked very well had Peter not been seen at all throughout the experience, but Peter would have remained one-dimensional and not given any richness to the story.What didn't work: The emotions. Terry's backstory seemed all fluff and no substance. The movie may have been better if Terry had no story prior to entering the picture in regards to his family. Also, I almost had trouble seeing any romantic feeling between Terry and Alice. I only saw a true respect for each other in the on-going crisis. I think the film should have either 1. Pushed the attraction of Terry and Alice much more. or 2. Completely cleared it. I felt like going half-half did not succeed. Another problem I had with the story was Terry himself. I was quite impressed with Terry's negotiating skills and brains. Later, he dons camo and becomes super-soldier. He seemed to be too super-heroish and almost became unreal.

Great on military details

Proof of Life might well satisfy those more knowledgeable in real-life military matters. When Terry (Crowe) explains to Alice (Ryan) how he started out in the Australian Army, but left for the British Army because there wasn't enough action...he was stating a very plausible possibility. The British Army does indeed accept recruits from Commonwealth nations. Terry also says he is veteran of the elite British Special Air Service, and again, it is true that a huge proportion of ex-SAS members end up in private security efforts of various kinds. When the big raid is carried off, the costumers took enough care to dress Terry in British DPM fatigues, while the American Dino (Caruso) wears American BDU fatigues. Again, this is plausible as these are the sorts of fatigues both men took with them when they left military service. I've seen a lot of reviewers here criticize the end raid sequence.I found the actions scenes very good and a welcome change from most movies. Terry and Dino actually plan for covering fire from higher ground, fields of fire, etc. So many military raids in movies (The Dogs of War is a good example) just have the characters march out in the open and fire from the hip, with no seeming plan of movement other than to run around, destroy stuff, and look dramatic. Terry and his team never stuck around any longer, nor killed any more of the guerrillas, then necessary to rescue the hostages and escape.I can see where these details failed to find appreciation with the general viewing public, but I only hope others doing such movies continue to try to be authentic and realistic.