A good film, especially when seen through eyes of journalists

Rating: Null/10 (8 November 1999)

I am a journalist, albeit in the print side of the industry, but seeing the inner workings on a heated issue such as Jeffrey Wigand's "insider" interview was a lot of fun for me and my fiancee, who also worked at a newspaper before getting out into the world of technical writing (can't say I entirely blame her). But enough about that, let's look at the movie.
Crowe and Plummer turn in top-notch performances, and Pacino, well, he's Pacino. A little overblown at times, but nothing to get annoyed with. He did a fine job as well. Plummer in particular amazed me with his job portraying Mike Wallace, a man who I hold incredible respect for. I wouldn't say this performance sullied the reputation of Mr. Wallace one bit.
The movie drags a bit early, but as you get into the heart of the movie, you have developed characters. You don't question the motivation of the characters because you understand their processes. Some of the conversations could have probably been tightened/cut, but some are well worth the time (especially the fax-to-fax conversation between Pacino and Crowe).
There are plenty of devices used to keep the movie from becoming too bogged down -- the intimidation factor of the big industry, in particular, is actually quite creepy -- and the movie is pleasant to look at, with nice work done by Mann and crew.
The only downer was the theater I watched this movie at, as the seats sloped downward. Not the floor, the seats themselves. My fiancee and I both agreed to rent this movie when it hits the shelves to watch it again in comfort! Plus, it's good enough to see again.
P.S.--The Pepsi girl (you know, the one who has those "funny voices") is in this movie. Thankfully she is subdued. To top it off, the trailer for "Bicentennial Man" played before the movie, also including said Pepsi girl. She's everywhere. Ugh.