Proof of Life

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

Description

Their lives are on the line. Their hearts are out on a limb. The wife of a kidnap victim and the hostage negotiator working with her navigate a brutal world of terrorism that values money over life - and find their tasks complicated by the growing awareness that they're attracted to each other.

Customer Reviews:

Great Action.......2007-08-26

There is a great fire fight in this movie.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

Proof that editors add value.......2007-06-04

If there was ever an argument for a good editor, this movie is it. The key elements of a great story are there. The characters are there. The lush visuals and outstanding photography are there. In fact, I find myself using the Chapter Select option more on this movie than any other in a collection of 400+ to jump to the action sequences, which are outstanding, or just to watch the sweeping photography of the cityscape and slums of latin america, fading into the jungles and mountains over which the final credits play.

What the movie needed more than anything was a hard-handed edit to chop out the extraneous garbage about Peter and Alice's backstory. We really didn't need to know (or care) about their marital conflict or any of the backstory about Africa or their lost child. These are not integral to the core plot: guerillas kidnap Peter, and Alice needs to learn a lot about the kidnap and ransom business and raise a substantial sum of money in a very short period of time. She also needs to learn who she can trust and how to get things done in the local culture. Meanwhile, Peter is learning how to avoid his captors' ire, and trying to cope with his fear and isolation as he is led farther and farther away from the civilization he has always known into the depths of the mountains and jungles. These are interesting issues and could have easily carried the film by themselves without all of the domestic filler, which proves to be a huge distraction.

If such a director's cut could be created, it would make this movie a five-star movie and I'd shell out the cash on the release date without a second thought. Unfortunately, due to the stigma associated with the release and lack of commercial success, that seems highly unlikely. The movie also cries out for a sequal with Caruso and Crowe's characters carrying out further K&R negotiations and rescues, but, again, that possibility seems remote.

Action, Ideas, and Doing the Right Thing.......2007-03-18

Terry Thorne (Russel Crowe), a kidnap and ransom negotiator for an insurance company, is sent to the country of Tecala in South America to negotiate the release of engineer Peter Bowman (David Morse). The insurance is canceled, as well as the negotiation, but Peter's wife Alice (Meg Ryan) asks Terry to help and they both have to cope with their growing attraction as they work together.

Taylor Hackford's film is doubly courageous and unique:

First, it addresses the idea of private rescue, both business and personal, in an age when most people look to the state for protection from criminals. Proof of Life not only illustrates the business aspect of private rescue (through an insurance company), but the idea that personal action of rescue can come from the the heart. Some reviewers try to include the state as a player by mentioning that the kidnapers are antigovernment and that Thorne once worked for a government.

Second, the movie illustrates doing the right thing (though perhaps after stepping over the line depending on how the viewer interprets one scene).

This is rated R and the foul language and profanity are very bad. The language issue makes it hard to share the movie with others. I considered dropping a star, but because of the above two points did not.

Action and ideas in a very good movie.

Proof of my best movies.......2005-12-26

Indeed this movie may seem like a common action-drama-love story but not really watch it attentively and you'll get what i mean. It gives you the message of professional and moral responsibility over a situation that is confusing whether to abandon your job or fulfill it. In this matter russell is divided with his affection towards his client's wife and the duty to save him. Great sequencing of events every part is juicy. the rescue in the end is classic special forces operations. the saddest moment was when meg drives away with her rescued husband and russell cant take off his eyes from the vehicle. Great movie indeed!

No Proof Required, This Movie's Got Life!.......2005-10-24

I like Russell Crowe and David Morse so when they are together in a movie of course I have to buy it. I probably would have given this five stars if I had reviewed it last year but I've watched it like twelve times so the absolute wonderfulness has worn off a bit. Definitely a fun movie to watch.

Average customer rating:

8 miles from da ghettoville!
8 miles from da ghettoville!
8 miles from da ghettoville!
Eminem pulls suprising peformace
he looked like a guy who could surely do with some sleep.

8 Mile (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Eminem , Kim Basinger , Mekhi Phifer , Brittany Murphy , and Evan Jones
Director: Curtis Hanson
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

ASIN: B00005JLQE
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Product Description

The setting is Detroit in 1995. The city is divided by 8 Mile, a road that splits the in half along racial lines. A young white rapper summons strength within himself to cross over these arbitrary boundaries to fulfill his dream of success in hip hop.

System Requirements:
Starring: Eminem, Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy, Mekhi Phifer, Omar Benson Miller, Eugene Byrd, Taryn Manning, Xzibit, Evan Jones, De'Angelo Wilson, Anthony Mackie, Abdul Salaam el Razzac, Michael Shannon, Strike, Mike Bell, Proof, Larry Hudson, Allen Adams, Mary Hannigan, and Kyla Womack.
Directed By: Curtis Hanson Runing Time: 111 Min., Color.
This film is presented in "Widescreen" format.
Copyright 2003 Universal.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Rap star Eminem makes a strong movie debut in 8 Mile, an urban drama that makes a fairly standard plot fly through its gritty attention to detail. Jimmy Smith (Eminem), nicknamed B Rabbit, can't pull himself together to take the next step with his career--or with his life. Angry about his alcoholic mother (Kim Basinger) and worried about his little sister, Rabbit lets out his feelings with twisting, clever raps admired by his friends, who keep pushing him to enter a weekly rap face-off. But Rabbit resists--until he meets a girl (Brittany Murphy) who might offer him support and a little hope that his life could get better. Under the smart and ambitious direction of Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential, Wonder Boys) and ably supported by the excellent cast and the burnt-out environment of Detroit slums, Eminem reveals a surprising vulnerability that makes 8 Mile vivid and compelling. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

8 miles from da ghettoville!.......2007-07-14

If your into white trailer trash wigger poser tough guy stuff or just feel sympathy for a white trailer trash loser who just didn't seem to have a perfect life then this gimmick of a saga movie is recommended just for all you white trash bedwetters out there who just want to become black and start living the fantasy of a gangsters paradise WORD!. This movie was so incredibly retarded they should have played this just on mtv never on VH1. Why did this movies price dropped to 1 cent on amazon? because this movie was stupid as hell eminem didn't really have a hard life his life was not perfect and who's idea was it to have britteny muphy to play as kim and kim basinger to play as eminems mommy *cough mommas boy! cough*. It's a shame that alot of people eat it from talentless guys like eminem who plague the world with thier so called music.

8 miles from da ghettoville!.......2007-07-14

Eminem pulls suprising peformace.......2007-05-09

B-rabbit is a struggling rapper desperate to make it to the big time. He takes a job at a steel plant so he can save up money for studio time. He fights off gang members and has the help of his friend future. It is loosely based on Eminem's life.

Eminem is quite the rap star today. He has sold millions of copies of cds
that are excellent hip hip masterpieces. He has taken the world by storm and shown that White people can rap. But, he stretches himself and his persona into this movie and the movie itself is surprisingly simple and easy to watch. It doesn't seem like a biography movie because the character's names aren't the same as the real person's name. Probably, Eminem didn't want the movie to be like a "Eminem can act" vehicle for him. He had already shown his rapping skills and enforced them through out the movie, but he does pull off a good performance as B-rabbit.

Curtis Hanson, who I find to be a okay director, seemingly could've been out of place in the hip hop culture but his direction works well with the atmosphere and location of the movie as the film as the film moves along at a fast pace set by his direction. He gets the performances out of the characters that were needed. He doesn't oversell the characters or oversap them so that they become these cheesy characters. You feel for the characters after you are done watching the movie. Curtis Hanson defines the character by the way he is portrayed on screen. We see his actions and we ulitametely root for him in the end as the credits roll and we hear lose yourself by Eminem. The movie then either sinks in or just leaves your mind and body as fast as it entered. it is one of those movies where you have to appreciate the hip hop culture and understand it to watch the movie, or otherwise you would feel incredibly lost in the mist of the movie and you will leave scratching your head and wondering what you have just watched. A solid movie.

he looked like a guy who could surely do with some sleep........2006-10-25

This movie is really not as bad as i percieved a typical rap hip hop stereo typical movie,i must admit that this movie had a reasonable and predictable story line it's like i heard it all before! but i must say that eminem can act and kim bassinger was really great in this movie, i dont know but to me all the white folks look like they had lots of sleepless nights, maybe it's just me? it kinda had white trash feel to it, the mood of the movie kinda had a hopeless i want to commit suicide aura, (trivial) but none the less it was entertaining i say it's definitely worth a watch cast you own opinions laterz folks.

Average customer rating:

8 miles from da ghettoville!
8 miles from da ghettoville!
8 miles from da ghettoville!
Eminem pulls suprising peformace
he looked like a guy who could surely do with some sleep.

8 Mile (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Eminem , Kim Basinger , Mekhi Phifer , Brittany Murphy , and Evan Jones
Director: Curtis Hanson
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000087RFB
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

8 miles from da ghettoville!.......2007-07-14

Eminem pulls suprising peformace.......2007-05-09

he looked like a guy who could surely do with some sleep........2006-10-25

Average customer rating:

8 Mile (UMD Mini For PSP)
Starring: Kim Basinger , Paul Bates , Eugene Byrd , Michael J. Shannon , and Brittany Murphy
Director: Curtis Hanson
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: UMD for PSP

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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Drama | Universal Media Discs | Stores | DVD | Video

Hardware & Accessories | Specialty Stores | Computer & Video Games

Accessories:

Product Features:

Eminem wins by a knockout! raves Rolling Stone, as the Grammy Award-winning phenomenon makes his feature film debut in this gripping story about the boundaries that hold us back - and the courage that can set us free. For Jimmy Smith, Jr. (Eminem), life is a daily fight just to keep hope alive. Feeding his dreams in Detroit s vibrant music scene, Jimmy wages an extraordinary personal struggle

ASIN: B000B8VCSU
Release Date: 2005-11-15

Description

"Eminem wins by a knockout!" raves Rolling Stone, as the Grammy Award-winning phenomenon makes his feature film debut in this gripping story about the boundaries that hold us back - and the courage that can set us free. For Jimmy Smith, Jr. (Eminem), life is a daily fight just to keep hope alive. Feeding his dreams in Detroit's vibrant music scene, Jimmy wages an extraordinary personal struggle to find his own voice - and earn a place in a world where rhymes rule, legends are born and every moment… is another chance. From Academy Award winner Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential) and Oscar-winning producer Brian Grazer (A Beautiful Mind), 8 Mile is the triumphant film Time Magazine hails as "Powerful!" and Entertainment Weekly applauds as "Electrifying and Mesmerizing!"

8 Mile (Widescreen Edition with Censored Bonus Features)

Average customer rating:

8 miles from da ghettoville!
8 miles from da ghettoville!
8 miles from da ghettoville!
Eminem pulls suprising peformace
he looked like a guy who could surely do with some sleep.

8 Mile (Widescreen Edition with Censored Bonus Features)
Starring: Eminem , Kim Basinger , Mekhi Phifer , Brittany Murphy , and Evan Jones
Director: Curtis Hanson
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

ASIN: B00008GKEX
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

8 miles from da ghettoville!.......2007-07-14

Eminem pulls suprising peformace.......2007-05-09

he looked like a guy who could surely do with some sleep........2006-10-25

8 Mile (Full Screen Edition with Censored Bonus Features)

Average customer rating:

8 miles from da ghettoville!
8 miles from da ghettoville!
8 miles from da ghettoville!
Eminem pulls suprising peformace
he looked like a guy who could surely do with some sleep.

8 Mile (Full Screen Edition with Censored Bonus Features)
Starring: Eminem , Kim Basinger , Mekhi Phifer , Brittany Murphy , and Evan Jones
Director: Curtis Hanson
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

ASIN: B00008GKEY
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

8 miles from da ghettoville!.......2007-07-14

Eminem pulls suprising peformace.......2007-05-09

he looked like a guy who could surely do with some sleep........2006-10-25

Average customer rating:

Proof of Life/Exit Wounds
Starring: Proof of Life , and Exit Wounds
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

Average customer rating:

Great Action
Proof that editors add value
Action, Ideas, and Doing the Right Thing
Proof of my best movies
No Proof Required, This Movie's Got Life!

Proof of Life [Region 2]
Starring: Meg Ryan , Russell Crowe , David Morse , Pamela Reed , and David Caruso
Director: Taylor Hackford
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00005LW4R

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Great Action.......2007-08-26

There is a great fire fight in this movie.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

Proof that editors add value.......2007-06-04

Action, Ideas, and Doing the Right Thing.......2007-03-18

Proof of my best movies.......2005-12-26

No Proof Required, This Movie's Got Life!.......2005-10-24

Charlie Rose with Marc Racicot; Evan Thomas & Margaret Carlson; Taylor Hackford (December 8, 2000)

Average customer rating:

Charlie Rose with Marc Racicot; Evan Thomas & Margaret Carlson; Taylor Hackford (December 8, 2000)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Educational | Genres | DVD | Video

Description

Bush adviser Governor Marc Racicot of Montana discusses the Florida supreme court's decision to grant Vice President Al Gore's request for a manual recount of about 14,000 disputed ballots in the presidential election against George W. Bush, as well as the unexpected order that all under votes be also reexamined. Then, Evan Thomas of Newsweek magazine and Margaret Carlson of Time magazine on the same topic. Finally, a conversation with director Taylor Hackford about his new film Proof of Life, starring Meg Ryan and Russell Crowe, about the wife of a kidnapped engineer and the hostage negotiator who falls in love with her while trying to save her husband.

DVD:

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