How to make an action film with no action

Rating: 9/10 (3 September 2001)

This was undoubtedly the movie that Russell Crowe won the Academy Award for, since the Academy invariably hands the little oscar out for the wrong movie in the wrong part of someone's career. (Not that Crowe's performance in "Gladiator" wasn't life changing for many - ahem - but "The Insider" was where he truly ACTED his socks off and then some. And all power to the Academy for being only ONE year late; most actors wait till their twilight years to get their hands on the deserved statuette).
It's a sublime piece of work from Mann, as his fans have come to expect - thoughtful, driven by well-written characters, intelligent scripting and wonderful direction. But of course much of this story comes from the real-life inspiration of Mr Wigand and the 60 Minutes coverage of his whistle-blowing activities on the tobacco industry. It is also a fantastic demonstration of how to make an action movie with NO action. Well, not in the Jerry Bruckheimer sense of the word. For man the action is all in the characters and the beautiful way that Pacino, Crowe and Plummer especially draw you in to their inner worlds. For some, latter-day Pacino is just too much like prime ham - but here just give the movie a couple of viewings and you'll realise how well he acts. It's a wonderful turn and utterly appropriate for a TV producer.
If you want to see a gripping movie this might not be where you would instinctively turn, but trust me - just for the scenes on the golf course, and when Wigand is on the stand about to give his deposition (I climbed the sofa the tension was so immense!) - this film can provide excellent and stimulating 'action'.