Product: The Insider [VHS] (1999)
Rating: 5.0
A very pleasant - and surprising - surprise...
Despite all of the buzz, hype, great reviews and so forth, I maintained a complete lack of interest in seeing The Insider. American Beauty was my movie of the year, and no matter how good Insider was, it couldn't surpass that masterpiece. Hmmm... lesson learned.I think that this is a fantastic movie, primarily as a result of the phenomenal performance of Russel Crowe - for those of you who have seen Gladiator, it's almost impossible to believe that these charaters are played by the same person. His bearing, demeanor, appearance, movements, etc. ad naseum are so subtle and different that it is a joy to watch!I was skeptical, too, that the story would hold my interest, particularly given the fact that the pulic has been made aware that tobacco companies' knowledge of the addictive qualities of cigarettes - harldy earthshattering now whether or not it was then. But it is utterly fascinating watching the behind the scenes maneuvering at CBS and the threat of lawsuits should they air the piece. And while Crowe's character is not the most pleasant of individuals, Crowe manages to make him likable to the extent that you really care about what happens to him as Wigan (sp?). It is a great movie, and I think EVERONE should be sure not to miss the chance to see it! This comes with my highest recommendation, despite the fact that one can't always quite tell what is the producers' artistic license and what actually happened!