I don't like the elves overmuch, so my thinking is probably clouded on their motivation.
Regarding Faramir's change:
Violent- allowing his officers to get the boot into Gollum, throwing Gollum against the wall and throttling him. Whereas in the book: "Take this creature away, Anborn. Treat him gently, but watch him. And do not you, Smeagol, try to dive into the falls. The rocks have such teeth there as would slay you before your time."
Suspicious - David Wenham's acting. This might be unfair, but Faramir certainly seemed much more open and less secretive in the book.
Self-interested - Diverting the hobbits to Osgiliath despite knowing their quest. Taking the ring so that he could look good in Dad's books (and save Gondor, I guess) despite knowing the hobbits' quest. Whereas the book: "Not if I found it on the highway would I take it... And be comforted, Samwise.. For strange though it may seem, it was safe to declare this (that Frodo carried the ring) to me. It may even help the master that you love. It shall turn to his good, if it is in my power... But do not even name this thing again aloud. Once is enough."
Bastard - by extension of the above.
He certainly redeems himself in the movie as your quote shows (and I didn't forget that one), but in the book, he never wronged the hobbits in the first place, thus not needing that redemption. That makes a really big difference to me. We'll probably have to agree to disagree on this one.
By the way, I still enjoyed the movie and my initial post was just to point out some of the changes to the TT that Eral had missed, not to slam Peter Jackson. I still admire his work.