(rated R, 135 mins)
While constructing a dam in the Andes, American chief engineer Peter Bowman (David “Green Mile” Morse) is captured by anti-government forces during a raid on the capital city. Upon learning his identity, the rebels demand $3 million for his return. His wife, Alice (Meg Ryan) learns that his employer, based in Houston (we have a problem), has filed near bankruptcy and has cancelled kidnapping insurance policies. Enter Russell Crowe maintaining his Aussie accent as the cool, in-control hipster, Terry Thorne, a hostage expert hired by Ryan to save Morse. The movie’s title is a specific term in the “K & R” (kidnap and ransom) biz used to negotiate to prove that the hostage is still alive. In this case it also “means an impass in their life, people who are emotionally stalled and events that rock them to contemplate, “why am I here?” according to director Taylor Hackford. Funny, but the audience may ask the same question. The dialog is lame for a story with many holes of an un-buyable premise that tough espionage-boy Crowe would return to “apologize” and take on the job for no reason. And, how about that scene moments before the helicopter takes Crowe off to rescue Ryan’s husband, they passionately kiss, throwing the movie’s balance off kilter and making it seem like the next appropriate line would be Ryan spouting ‘Please be sure and bring my husband back – dead.” While Crowe is subtle, sexy and the master of understatement in films, it’s a surprising David Caruso as Crowe’s partner who manages to infuse the few comic moments, one about a birthday cake and one in the helicopter rescue scene . All-American cutey-role-taker Ryan really shines as a grown-up, first time since “City of Angels”. It’s not a disastrous film and there aren’t any cheap shots but you’ll spend more time daydreaming about the real life Ryan and Crowe, than you will buying this story’s romance. Whenever they flashed the hostage time frame of days gone by on the screen – 90 days, 126 days, sitting in the audience made it feel THAT long too.
