The Insider
Seen: 2002-02-20
Overall: ****
Writing: *** 1/2
Acting: ****
Cinematography: ***
Music: *** 1/2
Direction: *** 1/2
Originality: *** 1/2
Enjoyment: ****
Conditions: ***
Venue: Bitscape's Castle Lair
Medium: DVD
More Info
This is the one the tobacco industry didn't want
anybody to see. It is a great film , not merely because the
story it tells is true (as it unfolded right on the
national media), but because the way it is told is utterly
fascinating. Or perhaps the fact that it is a
great film is indirectly due to the veracity of
the events.
Had this been a work of pure fiction devised by
screenwriters, we could expect the story to devolve
into a silly police chase during the
final 20 minutes, or perhaps a predictibly hyper-paranoid
"everyone around every corner is after the hero"
style of storytelling, and then everything gets resolved
neatly in the final scene.
What we have here is even more ominous because
it is so plausible. Put yourself in the shoes of Jeffrey
Wigand, the former officer at a large tobacco firm who
knows what's going on and wants to get the
message out. While death threats are scary, equally
ominous would be the less overtly violent, legal
consequences.
"If my wife has to work, who's gonna look after
the kids? Put food on the table. I mean, my children
need me. If I'm not teaching, there's no medical. No
medical, even on co-pay, that's like tuition..."
...
"In combat, events have a duration of seconds,
sometimes minutes. But what you're going through goes
on day in, day out, whether you're ready for it or not.
Mont after month after month. Whether you're up, or
whether you're down. You're assaulted psychologically.
You're assaulted financially, which is its own special
kind of violence because it's directed at your kids.
What school can you afford? How will that affect their
lives?"
The film features stellar performances by Al Pacino as
the 60 Minutes producer, and Russel Crowe as Jeffrey
Wigand, the man who was fired from his job for having a
conscience.
Definitely a film worth watching, if for no other
reason than to see how corprate politics play
themselves out on a massive scale, and how despite it
all, a few committed individuals can do good,
though the personal price may be high.
The film does run long, but not a minute of it is
wasted. 4 stars. Next?
This is the one the tobacco industry didn't want anybody to see. It is a great film , not merely because the story it tells is true (as it unfolded right on the national media), but because the way it is told is utterly fascinating. Or perhaps the fact that it is a great film is indirectly due to the veracity of the events.
Had this been a work of pure fiction devised by screenwriters, we could expect the story to devolve into a silly police chase during the final 20 minutes, or perhaps a predictibly hyper-paranoid "everyone around every corner is after the hero" style of storytelling, and then everything gets resolved neatly in the final scene.
What we have here is even more ominous because it is so plausible. Put yourself in the shoes of Jeffrey Wigand, the former officer at a large tobacco firm who knows what's going on and wants to get the message out. While death threats are scary, equally ominous would be the less overtly violent, legal consequences.
"If my wife has to work, who's gonna look after the kids? Put food on the table. I mean, my children need me. If I'm not teaching, there's no medical. No medical, even on co-pay, that's like tuition..."
...
"In combat, events have a duration of seconds, sometimes minutes. But what you're going through goes on day in, day out, whether you're ready for it or not. Mont after month after month. Whether you're up, or whether you're down. You're assaulted psychologically. You're assaulted financially, which is its own special kind of violence because it's directed at your kids. What school can you afford? How will that affect their lives?"
The film features stellar performances by Al Pacino as the 60 Minutes producer, and Russel Crowe as Jeffrey Wigand, the man who was fired from his job for having a conscience.
Definitely a film worth watching, if for no other reason than to see how corprate politics play themselves out on a massive scale, and how despite it all, a few committed individuals can do good, though the personal price may be high.
The film does run long, but not a minute of it is wasted. 4 stars. Next?