Pacino vs. Tobacco

Rating: Null/10 (5 November 1999)

This is a low-keyed but powerful suspense story of the truth behind the big lie the tobacco industry told the public for years -- namely, that cigarettes are non-addictive and non-harmful.
The dark side of the American Dream is delved here in a film that reminds me of ALL THE PRESIDENTS MEN, WALL STREET, and JFK. Money rules and morals are cast aside in corporate American. Silence about the truth is gained through intimidation, pay-offs, and the simple psychology of fear.
The musical score is very effective -- an operatic elegy depicting the struggle for truth against titanic odds. Integrity eventually survives, but at great costs. The cast is excellent. Pacino is especially good at underplaying his seething desire for journalistic ideals. He and Crowe stand almost alone against the forces brought against them.
The film also has some interesting symbolic foreshadowings. Watch for the sign "Beat the Clock" signifying that truth is in a race against time. Notice how the main character's daughter has lung problems, indicating an unstated reason why Crowe's character is so determined in his fight for the truth. Along the way, we also have graveyards and a burning car to prefigure events to come.
I strongly recommend the film both as good drama and as a revelation of one of the biggest health cover-ups in history.