Product: The Insider [VHS] (1999)
Rating: 4.0
A Story of Two Honorable Men in a World Gone Awry
THE INSIDER is so many things at once that it becomes hard to catalog them. It is, at the same time, a movie about two men who fight against the system and large corporations, a semi-historical account of the real life whistle blower who brought down the tobacco industry with the help of an intrepid news reporter and news agency, an examination of ordinary characters made into heroes by extraordinary pressures, and an exploration of journalistic ethics. At a little over two and one half hours, director Michael Mann manages to squeeze everything into a tightly woven film that delivers everything it promises.The film opens up on a disconcerting image of cloth, only to realize that it is a head covering over the face of a man being escorted by armed soldiers through the dangerous streets of Lebanon. Who is the masked man? Where are they taking him? Finally, they reach their destination and the masked man is seated in a chair before Hezbollah leader, Sheikh Fadlallah. The meeting is about a possible interview between the Sheikh and 60 Minutes anchor, Mike Wallace. Despite his dangerous circumstances, the masked man is surprisingly bold in the negotiations and manages to secure the interview. The masked man is soon revealed to be none other than 60 Minutes produces, Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino).Meanwhile, a tired executive makes his way home in an unexplained daze. We later find out that he is Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe), a former head of research and development at tobacco giant Brown & Williamson, who has been recently fired for nonsense reasons. Wigand has an expensive life, two daughters (one with asthma), and the prospect of losing his job is tremendously hard to bear. The severance package they have offered him is limited, but does include medical. But everyone knows that no one hires ex-tobacco scientists in the health profession. Where will he find employment? How will he support his family?With our two main protagonists situated and developed, the plot begins to thicken in order to bring our two heroes together. A package is mysteriously sent to Bergman containing insider tobacco documents. The only problem is that they are written in technical language. Bergman is given Wigand's name as a possible "translator," thus entwining our two protagonists for the rest of the film. After much cat & mouse, Wigand eventually agrees to meet with Bergman to discuss the job. Bergman's excellent instincts sense that there is a lot Wigand isn't sharing and he discovers the reason. Wigand has signed a confidentiality agreement with his former employer, agreeing not to talk about company business on pain of losing his severance and medical benefits. Slowly, Bergman begins the process of convincing Wigand to blow the whistle on his former employers.What evolves is a classic tale rooted in real world events. The first half of the film is dedicated to getting Wigand to testify and give an interview for 60 Minutes, risking his family's life, financial well-being, and sanity along the way. Most films would have ended at this point, but with about an hour left to go, the film makes a dramatic turn, almost completely dropping Wigand out of the plot. Under threat of litigation, CBS News decides not to run Wigand's interview. Suddenly, Wigand is at risk of doing everything for nothing. Bergman is outraged by CBS's decision and the film follows his character's attempts to fight against CBS to get it released.Hence, THE INSIDER is about two men who each fight their own respective corporations. But while one can't ignore the "man versus the machine" aspect of the film, ultimately it doesn't seem to be Mann's primary interest. What THE INSIDER truly focuses on is the character of our two protagonists. Wigand decides to testify and blow the whistle on his former employer because he has betrayed his values working for the company. He was a man of science and a man who worked for healthcare companies, he tells us early on, but who sold out for the money they offered him. Wigand is, at times, an uncomfortably honorable character and the film seeks to restore himself in his own eyes. Bergman is equally engrossing and, thanks to Pacino's superb performance, is, perhaps, even more inspiring to watch. CBS's threat not to release the material is not an attack on the freedom of the press or on Bergman's hard work. It is an attack on Bergman's personal integrity and honesty. "I have never burned a source," he tells us emphatically. Whatever Bergman promises, he delivers. And he shows us that he is willing to pay dearly in order to maintain that integrity.The performances are brilliant all the way around in this film. Crowe's performance of a man pushed to the edge by extraordinary forces is brilliant. I was nervous in every scene he was in and wondered if he would snap at any minute. Pacino, as mentioned, is wonderful in his part, in a rather understated performance. Christopher Plummer seems to capture Mike Wallace completely. Though not many of us have had the chance to see Mike Wallace "off camera," there is a certain believability to the performance that is undeniable. No one gets to be the anchor of 60 Minutes unless he or she is prepared to play serious hardball. It was refreshing to see. Reminiscent of ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, this film also manages to give you a very candid look into the making of broadcast news and all of the work that goes on behind the scenes (some of it quite dangerous) to produce a story. Michael Mann's directing is quite capable; the music and sound compliments the beautiful imagery; and the script is well crafted.All in all, THE INSIDER is a great film that should have taken home some Oscars. I highly recommend it.