Proof of Life was inspired by a 1998 Vanity Fair article
exposing the boom in international kidnappings, and the professional
negotiators whose job it is to help ensure the victim's safe return.
It so happens that this is a very treacherous and brutal industry,
one with a vast supply of incredible stories that are just begging
to be made into a motion picture. So make one, they did.
Russell Crowe has that rare magical ability to elevate any project he appears in, and this film is no exception. His unique presence (quiet, intelligent, strong and kind of ominous) lends itself very naturally to the part of a former SAS officer working the international K & R (Kidnap and Ransom) beat.
Meg Ryan is pretty good as the abducted man's wife. She's obviously distressed, but not excessively weepy, and I came to like her character for being as strong as she was in an extremely traumatic and chaotic situation. Pamela Reed plays the man's sister. Her character was written to be a bit of a pain in the butt, but not so much so that we lose sympathy. (She's a controlling type, and she eventually has to accept that she isn't calling the shots.)
David Morse is excellent as Peter Bowman, the kidnap victim. This is a key role, and his performance is strong enough that his character's predicament will haunt you long after you leave the theater. At first Peter is pushy and highly driven, but you can see that he's really a decent guy, and doesn't at all deserve the nightmare he's about to be living. Great job.
Break-neck pacing and contrived heroics are often forsaken for a more subtle, realistic storyline, and I give the movie a lot of credit for not succumbing to typical Hollywood sensationalism. This was clearly meant to be much more than a brainless action flick, and it is. Writer Tony Gilroy tries to convey numerous aspects of this experience with a fair degree of authenticity.
Alas, he may have bitten off slightly more than he can chew. It feels like there's a couple too many points of view in this film, and it loses some of it's emotional impact as a result. The movie tries to be physical, intellectual, dramatic and informative all at the same time, and these conflicting elements need to be better orchestrated.
It may not be perfect, but the film still works. The drama is moving, the suspense is gripping and the action is exciting. While sufficiently entertaining, it also offers a reasonably accurate depiction of a situation you really don't want to experience in person.
Bonus: the scenery (shot in Ecuador) is really spectacular. If you stay and watch the credits, you'll be treated to some vistas that are by themselves worth the price of admission.