Great surprise

Rating: 9/10 (12 January 2000)

After Heat, I was a little worried that Mann wouldn't be able to present the same level of character, intensity and drama on what would seem to be a "boring" subject matter. How wrong was I.
Russell Crowe and Al Pacino both give outstanding performances. Crowe is one of the most talented "new" actors around. See L.A. Confidential for proof.
Mann's use of intense lighting, close-ups and wide landscape shots to establish atmosphere are more refined than in Heat. While most directors either ignore the environment and how it relates to the story or characters, or use it as eye candy, Mann understands the importance of atmosphere. Music, photography, lighting, all can say more in a single scene than most directors can get across in a whole movie.
I have to respectfully disagree with Gooch-4 about the lack of focus of the film. The story is about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Wigand is the ordinary person thrust into the center of the maelstrom. We need to see Bergman's fight and the corporate happenings to understand the full extent of Wigand's struggle. As to the "why," it seems fairly obvious that Wigand simply set out to do the right thing.