← Back to Reviews
in
The Insider
The screenplay could have used a little tightening, but 1999's The Insider is an ambitious, engrossing, and often ugly docudrama bringing an important story to the screen with great style, with the lion's share of credit going to a director working out of his comfort zone.
Al Pacino plays Lowell Bergman, a producer at the CBS new magazine 60 Minutes, who receives a box of documents from Big Tobacco but can't make heads or tails of it and is eventually referred to a former research chemist at Big Tobacco named Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe), who has just been fired and warned about a confidentiality agreement he signed. Nonetheless, Wigand reveals to Bergman that Big Tobacco has been adding additional chemicals to nicotine in order to make it even more addictive than it already is. Bergman wants Wigand to do an interview with Mike Wallace (Christopher Plummer) but legally, Wigand can't do that until he goes to court regarding what Big Tobacco is doing and his actions at this point are beginning to methodically destroy Wigand's life.
Director and co-screenwriter Michael Mann has taken on subject matter that was and still is relevant today and the final result of what ends up onscreen here definitely has the air of a filmmaker who wanted to get this story right. There is a disclaimer at the end of the film stating that certain events in the film have been altered for dramatic effect, but is not specific. But when real names like Lowell Bergman, Mike Wallace, and Don Hewitt are involved, there's only so much altering of facts a filmmaker can do.
Mann makes no bones about the alleged power and lack of conscience that Big Tobacco showed in protecting their very pampered asses and well-lined pockets. Watching the way they destroy Wigand's life is frightening...to think that protecting themselves was SO important that they felt justified in threatening Wigand's wife and children...this just sent a chill down my back. Another disclaimer stated that no one was ever charged or even arrested regarding the threats against the Wigand family. These people not only manage to destroy Wigand's life, they even poke holes in the credibility of a journalism giant like 60 Minutes.
Mann's direction is undeniably stylish, allowing the camera to take us inside Jeffrey Wigand and vicariously experience his pain and anger. There is some great camera work too...I loved that shot inside the mailbox of the bullet that someone placed in Wigand's mailbox. Russell Crowe gave the finest performance of his career as Wigand that earned him an Oscar nomination and he should have won...a performance far superior to his muscle-flexing scenery chewing in Gladiator. Christopher Plummer made a completely credible Mike Wallace and I also loved Diane Venora as Wigand's wife. Production values are first rate, with special nods to cinematography and sound, Haven't seen all of his work, but for my money, Michael Mann's masterpiece.
The screenplay could have used a little tightening, but 1999's The Insider is an ambitious, engrossing, and often ugly docudrama bringing an important story to the screen with great style, with the lion's share of credit going to a director working out of his comfort zone.
Al Pacino plays Lowell Bergman, a producer at the CBS new magazine 60 Minutes, who receives a box of documents from Big Tobacco but can't make heads or tails of it and is eventually referred to a former research chemist at Big Tobacco named Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe), who has just been fired and warned about a confidentiality agreement he signed. Nonetheless, Wigand reveals to Bergman that Big Tobacco has been adding additional chemicals to nicotine in order to make it even more addictive than it already is. Bergman wants Wigand to do an interview with Mike Wallace (Christopher Plummer) but legally, Wigand can't do that until he goes to court regarding what Big Tobacco is doing and his actions at this point are beginning to methodically destroy Wigand's life.
Director and co-screenwriter Michael Mann has taken on subject matter that was and still is relevant today and the final result of what ends up onscreen here definitely has the air of a filmmaker who wanted to get this story right. There is a disclaimer at the end of the film stating that certain events in the film have been altered for dramatic effect, but is not specific. But when real names like Lowell Bergman, Mike Wallace, and Don Hewitt are involved, there's only so much altering of facts a filmmaker can do.
Mann makes no bones about the alleged power and lack of conscience that Big Tobacco showed in protecting their very pampered asses and well-lined pockets. Watching the way they destroy Wigand's life is frightening...to think that protecting themselves was SO important that they felt justified in threatening Wigand's wife and children...this just sent a chill down my back. Another disclaimer stated that no one was ever charged or even arrested regarding the threats against the Wigand family. These people not only manage to destroy Wigand's life, they even poke holes in the credibility of a journalism giant like 60 Minutes.
Mann's direction is undeniably stylish, allowing the camera to take us inside Jeffrey Wigand and vicariously experience his pain and anger. There is some great camera work too...I loved that shot inside the mailbox of the bullet that someone placed in Wigand's mailbox. Russell Crowe gave the finest performance of his career as Wigand that earned him an Oscar nomination and he should have won...a performance far superior to his muscle-flexing scenery chewing in Gladiator. Christopher Plummer made a completely credible Mike Wallace and I also loved Diane Venora as Wigand's wife. Production values are first rate, with special nods to cinematography and sound, Haven't seen all of his work, but for my money, Michael Mann's masterpiece.