Proof of Life (2000)

Director:

Taylor Hackford

Writers (WGA):

Tony Gilroy (written by)
William Prochnau (article) (inspiration)

Release Date:

8 December 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Romance | Thriller

Plot:

Alice hires a professional negotiator to obtain the release of her engineer husband, who has been kidnapped by anti-government guerrillas in South America.

Plot Keywords:

Negotiator | Ransom | South America | Money | Box Office Flop

Awards:

5 nominations

Cast

Meg Ryan	...	Alice Bowman
Russell Crowe	...	Terry Thorne
David Morse	...	Peter Bowman
Pamela Reed	...	Janis Goodman
David Caruso	...	Dino
Anthony Heald	...	Ted Fellner
Stanley Anderson	...	Jerry
Gottfried John	...	Eric Kessler
Alun Armstrong	...	Wyatt
Michael Kitchen	...	Ian Havery
Margo Martindale	...	Ivy
Mario Ernesto Sánchez	...	Arturo Fernandez (as Mario Ernesto Sanchez)
Pietro Sibille	...	Juaco
Vicky Hernández	...	Maria (as Vicky Hernandez)
Norma Martínez	...	Norma (as Norma Martinez)

Also Known As:

Prueba de vida (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Доказательство жизни (Russia) [ru]
Dokaz zivljenja (Slovenia) [sl]
L'échange (France) [fr]
Lebenszeichen (Germany) (short title) [de]
Lebenszeichen - Proof of Life (Germany) [de]
Livstecken (Finland: Swedish title) [sv]
Livstegn (Denmark) [da]
Preuve de vie (Canada: French title) [fr]
Prova de Vida (Brazil) [pt]
Rapimento e riscatto (Italy) [it]
Todistettavasti elossa (Finland) [fi]
Yasam kaniti (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Znak zivljenja (Slovenia) [sl]

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, language and some drug material.

Runtime:

135 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish | Russian | Italian | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Malaysia:18PL | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Chile:TE | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Spain:7 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Ecuador

Company:

Castle Rock Entertainment

Trivia:

Originally it was planned that all extras were to receive the normal pay used for American extras. But the Ecuadorian government, who could not afford to have their actors paid that well demanded that the movie pay Ecuadorian salaries.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When two ELT soldiers fly into the air after Thorne detonates a claymore mine, wires are visible aiding the stuntmen.

Quotes:

Dino: Who's the man! Stuff a legends! Stuff you are the man!

Movie Connections:

References Soldier of Fortune (1955)

Soundtrack:

Muñeca Linda

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 uprisings

I give "Proof of Life" a 7 out of 10.