| Proof of Life [Region 2] |  | Director: Taylor Hackford
Actors: Meg Ryan, Russell Crowe, David Morse, Pamela Reed, David Caruso
Category: DVD
Buy New: $3.43
New (5) Used (4) from $0.71
Rating:  149 reviews
Sales Rank: 230589
Format: Pal
Languages: English (Subtitles For The Hearing Impaired), English (Subtitled), Arabic (Subtitled), Bulgarian (Subtitled), Romanian (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Italian (Original Language), Russian (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 2
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Running Time: 135 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 7321900190527
ASIN: B00005LW4R
Theatrical Release Date: December 8, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
| |
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
When someone in Proof of Life says "Don't leave me hanging," you can bet they're going to be left hanging. That's what happens when Alice Bowman (Meg Ryan) learns that her husband Peter (David Morse) has been kidnapped by rebels in the (fictional) Latin American country of Tecala. He's building a corporate-funded dam there, and that makes him a fine target for kidnap by the rebels, who barter with the lives of well-insured executives. Enter Terry Thorne (Russell Crowe), former soldier-turned-"K&R" (kidnap and ransom) negotiator for a global firm that collects a commission for rescued hostages. With no guarantee of payment, Thorne takes the job out of moral obligation (and a yearning for would-be widow Alice). There's little room for delicacy in Tony Gilroy's screenplay, adapted from an article by William Prochnau and the book Long Road to Freedom by kidnapping survivor Thomas Hargrove. A hint of romance between Crowe and Ryan (who enjoyed plenty of it off-screen) adds tension as the story shifts back and forth to Morse's captivity, but it also threatens to cast Alice in an unsympathetic light. Avoiding that pitfall, director Taylor Hackford crafts the plot as a latter-day Casablanca that unfolds on a grander canvas (at stunning locations in Ecuador) while favoring an exciting rescue-mission climax over the tragedy of an ill-timed affair. It might have worked better as a straightforward macho action flick (with David Caruso doing lively work as Crowe's gung-ho K&R cohort), but Proof of Life effectively conveys the two-sided torment of a hostage crisis, while Morse holds it all together as the character to root for. --Jeff Shannon
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 144 more reviews...
 Unexpectedly engrossing... June 22, 2009
Eduardo Nietzsche (Houston)
...this film was on cable one day while I was sitting there catching up on emails...sometimes I like to have the TV on while doing that as sort of background noise. Well, before I knew it, I'd watched most of it and not gotten too many emails sent!
The story is pretty prosaic: husband gets kidnapped, wife freaks out, handsome and somewhat mysterious but cool-as-a-cucumber hero comes to the rescue of husband while sparks fly with the distraught wife.
To be honest, if they'd cast anyone else in the lead roles other than the ever-lovely Meg Ryan and fascinatingly talented Russel Crowe, I probably wouldn't have lasted through the whole thing. That, and the on-location settings (Ecuador) sealed the deal. Meg Ryan especially, though I wish that we could've seen more of her with less clothing on...she was cute at 28 in "When Harry Met Sally" but at 39 in this film, she is one SMOKIN' momma!
The hostage rescue scene at the end was a bit improbable but I respected the director's decision to NOT have too neat of a happy ending, i.e. having the two leads ride off in the sunset together. Have to agree with the other reviewer who said that this film could've used some heavy editing because there is a fair amount of deadwood lying around. But overall a decent way to kill some time.
3 and 1/2 stars.
 This was great. November 27, 2008
Lemas Mitchell (Kunming, Yunnan China)
Where to begin with all the good things about this movie?
1. We all know that South America is a very good place to go if you want to get kidnapped and held for ransom. But this film did a good job of showing us some of the grievances that are used to rationalize these kidnappings.
2. This film shows that there is a business side to hostage negotiation as well as kidnapping. (Who would ever have thought that a person would bargain for how much they were willing to pay for a person's life?)
3. The characters were all very well developed and the camp was made very believable.
There is more, but I can only recommend that you see the film and see all the good things for yourself.
An engrossing, under-rated film October 30, 2008
Tehila (Israel)
My standards for movies are relatively simple - the plot has to engage me to the end without offending my intellect or my spiritual understanding of the world, the storyline should have redemptive value, and the action and script should be believable and appropriate to the situation portrayed. This movie sits on my shelf because it fits all these categories.
It's the story of a kidnapping, but it revolves around the person left behind - and here lies it's strength. Even though I am no great fan of Meg Ryan, her intensity and anguish were believable and moving. Russell Crowe is (as usual) excellent at defining a character in thin lines of nuance while David Norse was achingly fragile and volatile.
Its rare to find a film that doesn't deserve it's R rating. I think this is one of them. The language and violence in this film are wholly appropriate to the subject matter, and thankfully, all other offensive content was cut during the editing process.
A taut, emotional action film with a gratifying end.
 Unfairly maligned due to an off-screen romance... October 16, 2008
Andrew Ellington (Mulholland Drive)
Do people ever just watch movies anymore? I mean, really, can anyone say that they judge a film strictly on its artistic merit and not on the trash the media is feeding us on the films stars? I personally try to cast aside my personal feelings for an actor, director or film subject in order to give an honest opinion of a film, but sadly it seems that many people will jump at the chance to hate something because of the personal lives of the stars. I remember when Eddie Murphy was up for Oscar in 2006 and many critics were saying he didn't deserve to win because of his off-screen antics. Seriously, what does his personal life have to do with his performance? Same with Crowe in 2001, or Polanski in 2002, or, take for instance Amy Winehouse's gigantic sweep of the Grammy's last year and the uproar that caused.
She makes good music, end of story.
So, that brings me to the bad press that this film received, and the reason I feel so strongly is because `Proof of Life', while not perfect, is far better than one would expect. Yes, critics, fans and movie goers all but destroyed this film with cluttered bad reviews all because of their personal feelings towards the off-screen romance that blossomed between Russell Crowe and the then married Meg Ryan. I'll say it; it is wrong to cheat on your spouse.
That said, celebrities do it all the time, so why should I really care?
I'm not handing them awards for Miss America or electing them into political office (although they may be better fit), I'm grading their film, and their film was actually pretty decent. Why should I allow my feelings towards their bedside manner impress my feelings towards their work?
`Proof of Life' tells the story of Alice Bowman who finds out that her husband has been kidnapped by rebels in the fictional Latin American country of Tecala. In her delicate state she finds herself being taken advantage of, and she would continue to be if it weren't for negotiator Terry Thorne who swoops in to save the day. Thus sums up the film you are about to experience.
Sure, the film is not perfect, and it really could have used some tightening up (I really feel that Taylor Hackford has an issue with tightening up his films) but in the end there is not a whole lot to hate about this film. Sure, parts seem very improbable, and the implied romance between Terry and Alice can leave the audience frustrated (I would have much rather had their romance be more explicit in the sense that it is explored, for it may have brought some closure to the ending) but the action scenes are well filmed and the acting is well done and the script, overall, is nicely constructed. It makes sense, even if it isn't totally believable (I know you know what I mean). David Caruso and David Morse do wonderful supporting work, but the film is all about Ryan and Crowe. I adore Meg Ryan, and she nails her performance, manipulating her emotions to show us an unhappy woman in love with a man who cannot satisfy her; and Crowe, while not at the top of his game, is still effortlessly captivating.
Truth be told; Crowe at his worst is better than many at their best.
So, in the end I must urge you to disregard your preconceived notions, and everyone else's for that matter, and just see this movie. It is exciting, engaging and rewarding. It may not be award worthy, but as far as these types of genre films go it is just about top notch, and without doubt far better than many would have you believe.
Proof of Star Power June 23, 2008
S. Schell (Mason, OH United States)
Based upon a Vanity Fair article ("Adventures In The Ransom Trade" by William Prochnau) and a man's personal account of an abduction by Colombian guerillas (Tom Hargrove), "Proof of Life" sports an exclusive cast and talented filmmakers but retained the misfortune of unfavorable media prior to its release. This $70 million escapade from director Taylor Hackford (Ray) began screening in December of 2000 after much-publicized debate on the relationship between leading lady Meg Ryan and co-star Russell Crowe. Hackford was dismayed by the predatory slant of the press, remarking that "people put a huge amount of time, effort and talent into this and it's being usurped by the tabloids. They say there's no publicity that's bad publicity, but I'm not so sure." Over 20 people reportedly left the production because of altitude sickness (filming took place in the Ecuadorian mountains) and the set was plagued by the death of stuntman William Gaffney, an automobile plunge off a cliff during a routine shot killing him instantly.
Most of the story is set in a fictionalized South American country called Tecala, Alice Bowman (Ryan) currently residing there with her industrial engineer husband Peter (Morse). Peter's job has required him to consistently relocate and Alice has grudgingly packed her bags each time, resentful of their inability to root themselves in one place. Tecala is a state known for its high rate of kidnapping and one morning as Peter braves a jungle roadway, he encounters a guerilla barricade and is taken hostage, his captors hiding him away in the misty and suffocating atmosphere of the Andes. Any hope that Alice had of peace and quiet is shattered, Peter's captors demanding thousands of dollars in ransom for his return. She is well lacking of their demands and becomes desperate for a solution, her sister-in-law Janis (Reed) her only solace. A couple of phone calls later, Terry Thorne (Crowe), a trained negotiator, is brought to the scene and the negotiation process for Peter commences. During his arduous parleys with Peter's captors, Terry's relationship with Alice becomes more than platonic and he is faced with a moral dilemma. It is at this point that the movie loses a little credibility, its histrionic excitement forfeited for the divulgence of forbidden romance.
This is the third collaboration for Hackford and screenwriter Tony Gilroy, the two having worked together previously on "The Devil's Advocate" and "Dolores Claiborne". Hackford admitted during an interview that he had filmed a more explicit love scene between Crowe and Ryan but it didn't make the final cut, stating that it was solely his decision to remove it and that "too much romance detracts from the action-adventure; I wanted the relationship between the characters to be tenuous and ambiguous ". This was a wise choice on Hackford's part because even the desperate kiss that Crowe steals from Ryan before heading out into combat is somewhat superfluous and baffling (yet it remained in the film, a small and enigmatic remnant of Hackford's missing footage).
Morse underwent the grueling task of slimming down for his scenes in the misty mountaintops, getting gaunt on a diet prepared by the doctor who thinned down Tom Hanks for "Cast Away". This guy rarely gives a bad performance (The Green Mile, Hearts In Atlantis, Dancer In The Dark, etc.) and is equally impressive here as the stonewalling Peter. Ryan has the potential to be a great dramatic actress (When A Man Loves A Woman, City of Angels) but because of her numerous roles in romantic comedies, there is the feeling that she is miscast. Ridley Scott's Greco-Roman juggernaut "Gladiator" was released over six months prior to "Proof Of Life", creating a nice buzz for Crowe and giving the film a beneficial boost in ticket sales. It certainly didn't hurt either that Crowe garnered an Academy Award nomination the year prior for the role of Jeffrey Wigand in "The Insider". It's just as well that he gives a good performance here as Terry Thorne. David Caruso makes an appearance in a small role - with what little times he gets, I believe it's the most entertaining performance I've ever seen from him.
Bottom line: If you see "Proof of Life", go for the suspenseful storytelling and remember that it's not very far removed from what happened to a real guy (Tom Hargrove). Truth is far stranger than fiction - and much more interesting.
|
|
|
Proud member of the Celebrity Pro Network. Make sure you check out these other great CelebrityPro network sites:
Lyrics Database
Celebrity Blog
Celebrity Thing
Celebrity PC
Latest Celebrity Photos
Portal
Travel Photos
Quotes
Flash Games
|
Is there a better
price available?
Find out:
|
|
|
|
