Proof Of Life

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Proof of Life is an American film released in 2000, directed by Taylor Hackford. The film's screenplay was authored by Tony Gilroy, who also was a co-executive producer, and was inspired by William Prochnau's Vanity Fair magazine article "Adventures in the Ransom Trade," and the book The Long March To Freedom by Thomas Hargrove  in which Hargrove recounts how his release was negotiated by Thomas Clayton, played by Russell Crowe who went on to be the founder of kidnap-for-ransom consultancy, Clayton Consultants, Inc.

Alice Bowman moves to the (fictional) South American country of Tecala because her husband, Peter (David Morse), has been hired to assist with building a dam. Though Alice is unhappy at this most recent move, she agrees to stay. When Peter is in the city one day, a convoy of automobiles (including his) is ambushed by guerilla rebels of the Liberation Army of Tecala (ELT). Believing that Peter actually works for an oil pipeline company, ELT soldiers abduct him and lead him into the country’s jungles.

Terry Thorne (Russell Crowe), an ex-Australian Special Air Service Regiment soldier, who later served with the British Special Air Service due to lack of action in Australia, arrives in Tecala, fresh from a successful hostage rescue near Russia. Because of his expert skill in kidnapping-and-ransom cases, he is hired by Peter’s company to assist in bringing about Peter’s safe return. Unfortunately, it turns out that Peter’s company actually has no insurance coverage for kidnapping, so they cannot afford Thorne’s services. Despite Alice’s pleas to stay, Thorne leaves the country. Alice gets teamed up with a local hostage negotiator, who immediately urges her to pay the ELT’s first demand: a $50,000 “good faith” ransom payment. Not knowing what to do, Alice agrees, but the transaction is stopped by Thorne, who, following his conscience, has returned to help. He is aided by Dino (David Caruso), another ex-military man.