Overshadowed by the excessive media interest surrounding its production, this efficient kidnap drama from Taylor Hackford was also marred by tragedy when a stuntman was killed during filming. Part action movie, part romance and part thriller, it's set in a fictional South American country where Meg Ryan's rocky marriage comes under further strain when her engineer husband David Morse is taken hostage by guerrillas. Enter the heroic Russell Crowe, a professional "K&R" (that's kidnap and ransom) man, who agrees to help Ryan (and begins to fall for her) even when it transpires that Morse's employers aren't adequately insured. There are a few good action set pieces, but the scenes between Crowe and Ryan are curiously muted, despite their much-publicised off-screen romance.

When Peter Bowman, an American engineer working in a South American country, is captured by anti-government forces, the rebels learn his identity and demand $5 million for his safe return. However, his US employer is on the verge of insolvency and will not provide the ransom. Peter's wife Alice is forced to deal with the matter on her own and she retains the services of freelance professional hostage negotiator Terry Thorne.