Crowe and Pacino are magnificent!

Rating: 9/10 (30 July 2005)

Whenever someone hears about the big tobacco industries, they think big money and not to be meddled with. But in 1994, one man changed all that. One man stood up to this giants of industry and told them off. In 1999, director Michael Mann retold this story in grade A fashion.
The Insider deals with the CBS 60 Minutes special involving the tobacco company Brown & Williams and their former researcher Dr. Jeff Wigand (Russell Crowe). 60 Minutes producer Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino) will go to great lengths to get this man to talk about his work with the company. What he has to get around is the confidentiality agreement that Wigand signed. Now that he has been fired for a bogus reason, he wants to get back at the company that now threatens his family. Bergman tries to bend the rules and go around every corner to get this man to testify in a court of law so that his testament will not be liable with the confidentiality agreement.
With B&W watching every move that Wigand makes and checking everything that has happened to him from birth up to this point in time, Wigand is ready to do anything. Before he even appearers in court, he records an interview with 60 Minutes host Mike Wallace (Christopher Plummer). This interview may not go on the air at all if certain things aren't made right. What Bergman must do now is protect Wigand and still air this special without causing any trouble because he knows that this will be the biggest case in US history.
Crowe and Pacino both give breathtaking performances. Crowe was nominated for his portrayal of Wigand and was well deserved. Wigand is an interesting character. He has to make the right choices without hurting his reputation, his family, and without breaking the deal with his former company. The decisions he makes are both life changing and have an impact on those around him. Pacino as Bergman is the perfect fit. He is an explosive actor and very passionate with his work. His work in this movie is incredible. He combines a soft heart with a hard-nose attitude that gives him a very powerful presence. These two men are great and even Plummer as Wallace gives a great performance. His character is both working for the people so they are informed, and working for CBS, making sure they don't go under with this story. All together, there is a great cast with smaller parts even shinning, especially Bruce McGill as Ron Motley, one of the lawyers working with Wigand.
The Insider is a must see. This political thriller is a great watch and showcases two of today's top actors doing what they do best. Director Michael Mann is no stranger when it comes to good movies. His hits like The Last of the Mohicans(1992), Heat (1995), Ali(2001), and most recently Collateral(2004). The Insider is one of his best films to date. The Insider is a great film...and that's the truth.