Realizing Gladiator would be a tough act to follow, Russell Crowe selected Proof of Life, another movie where the character he plays performs heroic actions. Although his career may not be damaged by this choice, Crowe could have done much better. As Terry Thorne, hostage negotiator extraordinaire, the charismatic actor shows off his buffed-up physique and handsome face --- but is trapped in a film with little else to offer. Like the victims Terry helps, Crowe himself seems held hostage --- in this case, by a mediocre script and miscast leading lady.

Meg Ryan (You’ve Got Mail) co-stars as Alice Bowman, a woman unhappy with her marriage to an American engineer (played by David Morse from The Green Mile). Alice whines, smokes constantly, and complains about "not having a project." Nevertheless, when her husband is kidnapped, she obtains professional help to rescue him. Unfortunately, I found it impossible to accept Ryan in this role. While preferring her in comedies, I also admire her dramatic performances in When A Man Loves A Woman and Courage Under Fire. But in Proof of Life, most of Ryan’s mannerisms appear superficial. She rolls her eyes at her sister-in-law (Pamela Reed) and pouts unconvincingly at Crowe in their scenes together. Maybe the off-screen romance between herself and Crowe interfered with Ryan’s concentration. Or perhaps she just couldn’t rise above a lackluster screenplay.

Written by Tony Gilroy (The Cutting Edge), Proof of Life was adapted from William Prochnau’s Adventures in the Ransom Trade, a VANITY FAIR article about the huge number of multinational executives being abducted abroad. After researching Prochnau’s non-fiction account and other sources, Gilroy wanted to create a script that would bring the ordeal of kidnapping into intimate emotional focus. Instead, his story includes confusing sequences depicting corporate dishonesty, stereotypical treatment of Latin Americans, and unrealistic dialogue, especially by women. For example, referring to hostage negotiations, the kidnapped man’s sister-in-law (Reed) shouts, "He’s my little brother --- I’ve never done this before!" Well, duh!

In all fairness, the rescue sequence at the end of the movie did generate some excitement. Crowe, Morse, and NYPD Blue veteran David Caruso, also portraying a hostage negotiator, energized the film a bit here as they fought the kidnappers and escaped by helicopter. In addition, the good-bye kiss between Ryan and Crowe was fun to watch, mostly because I suspected they weren’t acting at all. And director Taylor Hackford (The Devil’s Advocate) made sure spectacular scenery shots by cinematographer Slawomir Idziak (Gattaca) were highlighted throughout the film.

Proof of Life is not one of the worst movies of the year. Still, it’s a disappointing one for people like me who expected to see Oscar-nominee Crowe (for The Insider) in a more challenging role.

(Released by Warner Bros./Castle Rock Entertainment and rated "R" for violence, language, and some drug material.)