Despite some weaknesses, I have to recommend the 2000 thriller “Proof Of Life”, partly due to its strengths, and partly due to the permanent soft spot in my heart for its director, Taylor Hackford, who in 1982's "An Officer And A Gentleman" gave us one of the most gloriously satisfying moments in movie history, in which Louis Gossett, Jr. delivers a powerhouse kick to Richard Gere’s family jewels. I mean, who hasn’t fantasized about kicking Richard Gere in the nuts?

“Proof Of Life” features shades of “Casablanca” in that the romance is repressed due to the fact that the heroine, Alice (Meg Ryan) is married to someone other than the hero. The hero in this case is Terry (Russell Crowe), a former SAS commando who works as a hostage negotiator for an insurance company. He’s called to Ecuador, where Alice’s husband, Peter (David Morse), an engineer who’s building a dam for an oil company, is kidnapped by Marxist guerillas and held for ransom.

The romance between Ryan and Crowe that developed during the shooting of this picture (and contributed to the breakup of Ryan’s marriage to Dennis Quaid) almost overshadowed the movie itself. That’s unfortunate, because although you knew that it wouldn’t exactly be remembered at Oscar time, it’s still a pretty solid picture. There are some major flaws, and your enjoyment of the film depends on your willingness to tolerate them.

The movie’s predictability and habit of falling into cliché territory wears on the viewer after a while. Alice and Peter argue insipidly about this and that before his abduction, Alice and Terry feel an undeniable but taboo attraction to each other as they plot to get Peter back, etc., etc. You’ve seen it before.

Another problem is, ironically, a lack of chemistry (at least from my point of view) between Ryan and Crowe. They trade knowing glances, share deep secrets and indulge in a forbidden kiss near the end, but I just wasn’t buying it. It’s almost as if the two actors were saving all their passion for when the cameras were turned off for the day. Ryan wears her character splendidly, exuding all the emotions expected of a wife in this situation, but Crowe seems a bit detached from the proceedings, simply going through the motions. He did the same thing, I think, in “Gladiator”, for which he inexplicably won the Oscar for best actor. He should’ve won it for 1999’s “The Insider”, his best work.

Actually, the two actors in the primary supporting roles have the most impact: Morse, who played a doctor on TV’s “St. Elsewhere” and has since become a dependable character actor on the big screen, is utterly unforgettable as Peter. At every moment during his captivity, you feel every bit of his sense of despair, terror, helplessness and anger. In one beautifully intense scene around the film’s mid-point, Peter practically dares his sadistic guard to shoot him. You’re already deep inside his mindset, so you immediately see this suicidal gesture for what it is: a desperate, fury-fueled bid to take control of his own fate. The physical deterioration he experiences under the gun of his captors is also worth noting. While the transformation doesn’t look as elaborate as that of Tom Hanks in “Castaway”, it’s nonetheless impressive and effective.

Another great supporting asset is former “NYPD Blue” star David Caruso as Terry’s somewhat sleazy but loyal buddy, Dino, another ex-commando. Caruso tackles his role with fiendish energy and humor, and he gets all the film’s best lines. He is the most fun the movie has.

Despite the predictable plot developments and conveniences (Terry overhears a vital conversation at exactly the right time, yada, yada), Hackford keeps things moving at a good clip and gives the actors, particularly Morse and Caruso, lots of room to breathe. This is similar to what he did for the supporting actors in “An Officer And A Gentleman”.

The best sequence in the movie is the stunning finale where Terry and Dino mount a rescue mission in the rebels’ compound to spring Peter. It’s a virtuoso set piece that brilliantly showcases the value of communications between soldiers (one commando hides on a hillside, pointing out rebel gunmen to Terry, who’s on the ground with Peter). Once again, Caruso as Dino has the best time toward the end, inserting just the right amount of machismo into a moment where he’s discussing the plausibility of the rescue effort with Terry:

Dino: “I’ve been over this [plan] a thousand times, and it’s fu*ked!!”

Terry (after a pause): “So, we’re on with this, then?”

Dino: “Absolutely.”



Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good Date Movie
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age