Here you see real people struggling for what they believe is right

Rating: 10/10 (30 January 2003)

I've just seen this movie and I found it absolutely great. Basically what I like about the movie is that you see several people who are all trying to live according to their own basic values, and those values tend to clash every now and then.
It starts with the character Wigand who, having worked in the health-care industry now accepts a job with a tobacco company because of the high salary they pay. He then finds out that no matter the salary, he can not live with the consequences of his work. Upon protesting to the nature of his work, he is fired.
At one point, his wife leaves him, with the motivation: "I really want to support you, but I can not take this kind of life" In other words, she wants to support her husband, but finds that she is not able to muster the strength needed to full fill her wish.
When Al Pacino hears that his interview is not to be broadcasted because of the risk to CBS, one of his colleagues who has a financial stake in CBS says "Are you accusing me of being influenced by the money". Where upon Pacino answers with sarcasm "No I'm not accusing you, you are a volunteer, you work for free just like me. Of course you are influenced by the money!"
Time and time again you see these scenes where you can understand the motivation of all the characters involved and you can also understand that every one of them is trying to do the good thing, even though they vehemently disagree about what "the good thing" would be.
Whereas I can understand that this movie leaves you in a depressed state of mind because it shows you how very far the power of large cooperations actually goes, it can also give you a boost. Most people here act out of their will to do good. At the end, the movie increased my faith in humanity.