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Proof of Life - The KingLove Movie Guide Review 12/00
Starring Russell Crowe, Meg Ryan, David Morse & David Caruso. Directed by Taylor Hackford. Rated R.
Attractiveness & Chemistry
Russell (Terry) and Meg (Alice) were the talk of Hollywood this year. She was coming off a big split with her movie star hubby, Dennis Quaid, and he was coming into superstardom after Gladiator. The big, tough, brooding Aussie and America's darling with acting chops had the tabloids abuzz. Could their movie be as fun, and would the audience get to see some of the underlying passion? The stars will sell some tickets. Hey, it brought us to this movie before the Mel Gibson / Helen Hunt comedy, What Women Want.
Story Line
It's billed as Action/Adventure/Romance/Drama. All good. It had the hottest off screen romance of the year. Even better. Proof of Life has battle scenes, death defying action and heart-wrenching decisions. It deals with big stakes - life, money and love. The backdrop is an unpredictable second world country. It also features Russell's muscles and Meg's mean, lean little body. I won't even get into her perfectly teased and highlighted hair.
Alice's hubby, Peter (David Morse) is abducted by terrorists in a fictional South American country. They think he's a valuable oil company executive. In fact, he's only an engineer brought in to lead construction of a dam which will help the poor. He's abducted, and Terry is the experienced military Kidnap & Ransom expert to get him out. Terry can't help but fall for the kidnapee's doe-eyed wife Alice (she's Meg Ryan). Will his feelings for her jeopardize his mission to save her hubby? Is he still alive? Can he be saved? Is there enough butt to kick in this fictitious country for him to look good doing it?
All important questions, indeed. The most interesting question may be if Alice & Peter were about to break-up before the kidnapping, and will that change her feelings?
Nookie Factor
Does Terry help Alice for the chance of some Nookie? Does he like her? Does she like him? Two brief scenes give us just a hint. The skin you'll see in this movie may be in camouflaged paint, or peeking out from one of Meg's keen outfits. Proof of Life is more about love, loyalty, honor and difficult decisions than nookie. Apparently, after the cameras stopped, the action was a bit hotter.
Comments from the People!
"Damn, Meg is going from cute to beautiful!"
"We needed more time with Russell in the black tank top and commando boots.."
"Gotta love hearing Russell with the Aussie accent."
"Finally a good role for the guy from NYPD Blue (David Caruso)"
"Liked the bombs, guns, revenge aspect - I like violent stuff. Does that mean I like a Meg Ryan movie?"
"Not the best, but often tense, and a bit of sexy tension for the stars."
"David Morse is always great."
"The movie was a little long, but it didn't bother me." [135 minutes]
KingLove's Overall Rating
Proof of Life is a winner. The Kidnap & Ransom business isn't for the squeamish, but Russell and Meg will help you through it. It's got an exciting and tense ending that you won't want to miss. If you're dedicated to love, and ready to risk your life to save it, you only need to buy a ticket!
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