When his children are approached by drug dealers, he starts the neighborhood watch program and tries to recruit Roger Milquetoast. Proactive characters are much more interesting to watch because they make things happen. Movies aren't about the mundane things in life. They are about moments in life when people change, or make changes. Reactive characters are cornered and forced to do something.
Proactive characters come face to face with an obstacle and decide to do something about it.
A crisis is a time when people have to make a decision. They can't just ignore the problem, they have to decide how they will deal with it. This is a turning point in the story. For the audience, it's the drama that propels the action into part two. Part of being able to draw poignant scenes with decision points and turning points is understanding the role of a crisis.