Proof of Life is a 2000 American thriller film directed by Taylor Hackford and stars Meg Ryan, Russell Crowe, and David Morse. The film is based on William Prochnau's Vanity Fair article, "Adventures in the Ransom Trade", which recounts the high-profile 1997 kidnapping of American engineer Kenneth Coffin in Chechnya. It traces the events that occur when a couple's lives are suddenly thrown in turmoil after their loved one is taken hostage.
Alice Bowman (Meg Ryan) and her husband, Peter (David Morse), are living in a small town in South America where Peter is working as an engineer for an oil company. One day, Peter is kidnapped by a group of anti-government guerrillas. Alice reaches out to the company and asks for help, but she is told that their insurer will not cover the ransom. Desperate for her husband's safe return, Alice decides to hire Terry Thorne (Russell Crowe), a professional hostage negotiator.
Terry immediately travels to South America and begins negotiating with the kidnappers. The negotiation process is complicated by the fact that the kidnappers are politically motivated and want to use Peter as leverage to pressure the oil company to pull out of the country. However, as Terry works to gain the trust of the kidnappers and negotiate a fair price for Peter’s release, he and Alice also begin to develop feelings for each other.
As the negotiations reach a critical point, Terry decides to take a major risk to try and save Peter's life. Despite an unexpected twist, Terry manages to pull off a successful rescue mission and bring Peter back to safety.
The film was praised for its realistic portrayal of the kidnapping negotiation process, and for the performances of both Ryan and Crowe. However, it received some criticism for its slow pace and its focus on the romantic subplot between Alice and Terry. Nevertheless, Proof of Life remains a thrilling and gripping film that is worth watching for those who enjoy high-stakes dramas.