Intermission: 'Proof' maintains tension without melodrama

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|bold_on|"Proof of Life"|bold_on||ret||ret||tab|

|bold_on|Directed by: Taylor Hackford|bold_on||ret||ret||tab|

|bold_on|Starring: Meg Ryan, Russell Crowe, David Morse|bold_on||ret||ret||tab|

|bold_on|Rated: R|ret||ret||tab|

As a director, Taylor Hackford has been all over the map with projects as varied as "An Officer and a Gentleman" and the Chuck Berry biopic "Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll." He's got a knack for keeping things rather taut, and my favorite of his films is his treatment of the Stephen King story "Dolores Claiborne." |ret||ret||tab|

In his latest effort, "Proof of Life," Hackford stays true to what he knows best and gives us a film that, while it could be better, is one that keeps the viewer on the edge of his seat and never gets bogged down in mindless melodrama. The director's matter-of-fact style is a real strength, but it also proves to be a double-edged sword. |ret||ret||tab|

I kept hoping for a little more reason to get emotionally involved with the main characters, most notably the ones played by Russell Crowe and Meg Ryan. Apparently, their off-screen lives affected this film so much that a steamy sexual encounter was reportedly cut from the film for fear it hit too close to home. On the other hand, not having these two characters get together really adds to the overall tension of the film, and proves to be a wise choice on Hackford's part.|ret||ret||tab|

Ryan plays Alice Bowman. She's married to Peter (David Morse), an engineer for a huge petroleum conglomerate. Their marriage is on shaky ground and the nature of Peter's work has them relocating on a regular basis.|ret||ret||tab|

While on a job in the (mythical) South American country of Tecala, Peter is kidnapped by a group of rebels who, when not trying to overthrow the capitalist regime, manufacture cocaine to finance their operations. The film, based on a couple of true stories, points out to us that the kidnapping and holding for ransom of Western businessmen is a fairly common occurrence. So much so that most big companies have insurance policies and hostage negotiators in their employ. Too bad that Bowman's outfit is on the verge of collapse and has failed to pay the premiums on the policy.|ret||ret||tab|

Terry Thorne (Russell Crowe) works for the negotiating team that would ordinarily (had the insurance been kept current) deal with this sort of matter.|ret||ret||tab|

After meeting Alice, Thorne doesn't really care if his company is officially involved or not he vows to get her husband back for her at any cost. The sexual attraction is obvious and is the basis for the dramatic tension in the body of the film.|ret||ret||tab|

Scenes shift between Peter's locale in the mountains of Tecala and Alice and Terry's efforts to negotiate his release using all channels possible. Crowe is (despite his physical dominance of the screen) a master at "underplaying" and is in top form here. |ret||ret||tab|

Ryan, I feel, hasn't been given her due as the fine actress she really is, probably because she's just so darned beautiful. Besides her romantic comedy roles ("When Harry Met Sally," "Sleepless in Seattle") she's proven to be an A-list dramatic actress in films like "Courage Under Fire" and "The Presidio." Her performance in "Proof of Life" once again proves the depth of her abilities.|ret||ret||tab|

I would have liked to have been more emotionally involved with the characters here, but all in all Hackford's film is engrossing, finely acted and expertly conceived and presented.|ret||ret||tab|

Every once in a while, a film will slip by without this column paying much notice. One such film is "Stuart Little." |ret||ret||tab|

"Stuart Little" is a great film that's not only well-written but uses special effects so seamlessly that the viewer accepts the premise without question. I've watched "Stuart Little" four times through and have yet to tire of it. It really has all of the magic and charm that made movie lovers out of all of us to begin with.|ret||ret||tab|

|bold_on|(Jim Wunderle works at Associated Video Producers and is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician.) |ret||ret||tab|

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