“[sarcastically] So basically we just call the army, schedule a battle. How would Wednesday around 3 be for you?” – Dino
Number of Times Seen – Twice (6 Mar 2001 and 11 Oct 2018)
Brief Synopsis – After her engineer husband is kidnapped by Revolutionary soldiers while working in Central America, a woman must choose between negotiators in order to try and get him back alive.
My Take on it – This is a film that I recall seeing when it came out in the theater and for some reason never got around to returning to see it again ever since.
The movie itself is quite interesting because it gives us insight into how the dangers and methods of kidnapping for ransom in Central and South America work.
The cast is great with Meg Ryan as the grieving wife and Russell Crowe as the main negotiator but the problem is that the two of them have terrible chemistry throughout which ruins every scene that they need to share.
This is actually quite ironic since the rumors of an affair between the two during production apparently led to Ryan getting divorced from Dennis Quaid.
The story is told quite well and things seem very realistic and suspenseful in the way that is all plays out.
Loved seeing David Caruso in a supporting role here where he can show his attitude as much as he likes.
Bottom Line – Interesting film that explains much about the dangers and methods of dealing with kidnappings for ransom in Central America. Crowe is impressive here as the negotiator and Ryan is also great as the grieving wife but the chemistry between them is terrible which turns the scenes they share in gut retching ones that seem off kilter. After watching these characters interact, its hard to imagine that these two had an affair during production that ended Ryan’s marriage to Quaid. The story itself is told quite well and they manage to make it seem very realistic and even suspenseful at times. REcommended!
MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – During a break in filming at Stowe School in Buckinghamshire (where Russell Crowe’s character watches his son play rugby union), one of the extras asked Russell Crowe for some acting advice. After their conversation, Crowe remembered the student’s serious interest in acting and sent him autographed posters and photos from his film, Gladiator (2000), and wrote a letter saying, “A journey of thousand miles begins with a single step.” The extra, Henry Cavill, went on to pursue his acting career and ultimately landed the role of Superman in Man of Steel (2013), with Crowe playing his father. (From IMDB)
Rating – BAFTA Worthy (6/10)
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