Suits don't suit you, sir

I didn’t know until after watching it that the movie is based on the true story of Dr. Thomas Hargrove who was kidnapped by guerillas in 1994 in Columbia. His story was published in Vanity Fair and also his book ‘Long March to Freedom: Tom Hargrove's Own Story of His Kidnapping by Colombian Narco-Guerrillas’.

After this brief introduction to the work of Terry Thorne we are presented with the other central characters, Alice Bowman (Meg Ryan) and her husband Peter (David Morse). Peter Bowman is an engineer who works for a troubled oil company subsidiary, making a dam which he claims will help the locals of fictional Tecala in South America (the movie was actually filmed in Ecuador). Alice is a free-spirited hippie who dislikes Peter’s company so it is with great reluctance she accompanies him to a corporate dinner. Peter is portrayed as work obsessed, so much so that he has dragged his wife half way around the world including Africa, where she miscarried. Frustrated that he is not being informed about what is going on within his company, Peter takes it out on Alice, who he suggests goes home if she does not want to fit in locally. The following day Alice wakes up to find Peter gone… he has already left for his office.

The acting is superb throughout, even the unknown locals who play the ELT rebels or local Tecalans. A stickler for authenticity, the director, Taylor Hackford went to South America to hand pick all the locals, including Diego Trujillo as Eliodoro, Vicky Hernandez as Maria, the Bowmans' maid (both from Columbia); from Peru Pietro Sibille as evil Juaco, and Norma Martinez as Diego’s wife.

RUSSELL CROWE as Terry Thorne
Russell Crowe is once more cast as the hard man, although he is also blessed with a great brain in this role. Thorne can speak fluent Spanish to interact with the locals; he is strong yet sensitive to Alice’s feelings. He will do anything to rescue his hostage, even disobeying company orders to help Alice out. Crowe/Thorne also injects a little light-humour in his interaction with fellow negotiator, Dino. After “evicting” local negotiators from the Bowman home with help from Dino, Thorne beams “that was fun!” As with Meg Ryan, my only criticism of Crowe is the lack of chemistry with Ryan, ironic as they were allegedly having an affair during the making of this film. Although he portrays his anguish at not being able to have Alice, there is no real heat between the two except in an extremely brief kiss.

GOTTFRIED JOHN as Eric Kessler
Peter Bowman’s companion at the camp, Kessler is clever and yet he plays the fool remarkably well to convince the rebels that he is completely insane and therefore no threat. They become such good friends that when Peter decides to escape, Kessler cannot cope with the thought of remaining at the camp without him. Kessler is funny and sweet and I think Gottfried John was great in this role.