PROOF OF LIFE
Year: 2000
USA & UK: Warner Bros
Cast: Meg Ryan, Russell Crowe, David Morse, David Caruso, Pamela Reed, Alun Armstrong, Wolframio Benavides, Oscar Carrillo, Claudia Dammert, Vicky Hernandez, Michael Kitchen, Daniel Lugo, Norma Martinez, Aristoteles Picho, Vanessa Robbiano, Pietro Sibille, Mario Ernesto Sanchez, Diego Trujillo
Director: Taylor Hackford
Country: USA
UK: 135 mins
USA Rated: R for violence, language and some drug material
UK Certificate: 15 contains strong language and violence
USA Release Date: 8 December 2000
UK Release Date: 2 March 2001
Synopsis
People take hostages all over the world, wait for contact, make a demand and then negotiate it. For the family, it's emotional. For the kidnappers, it's just business.
Peter Bowman (David Morse), an American engineer in a Latin American country, is kidnapped for a $3 million dollar ransom. Abandoned by her husband's employer and insurance company, his wife Alice (Meg Ryan) refuses to give up on his life. She takes on the task of bringing him home but quickly realizes she can't do that without help.
An expert in 'K & R' (Kidnap & Ransom), Terry Thorne (Russell Crowe) is Alice's best and only hope for saving Peter. He takes on the job, but soon finds it to be trickier than anyone thought. Throughout the lengthy negotiations, Alice and Terry develop a mutual respect which evolves into a mutual attraction as they barter for Peter's life with the guerrilla aggressors.
With the help of a fellow negotiator, Dino (David Caruso), and a trio of highly trained mercenaries, Terry takes on a do-or-die rescue operation that could as easily result in disaster as in triumph.
Directed by Taylor Hackford (DEVIL'S ADVOCATE), PROOF OF LIFE is an action-suspense drama about desperation, loyalty and faith set against the backdrop of the big profit business of international kidnapping. The film features a diverse cast of acclaimed actors, led by Meg Ryan (CITY OF ANGELS), Russell Crowe (GLADIATOR), David Morse (THE GREEN MILE), David Caruso (KISS OF DEATH) and Pamela Reed (THE RIGHT STUFF) as Peter Bowman's sister Janis.