Product: The Insider [VHS] (1999)
Rating: 5.0
An incredible movie- worthy of much praise!
"The Insider", a theatrical delight, is a well cast, brilliantly acted, and ingeniously directed movie. I cannot say enough about this film!Russell Crowe is pheonominal as the socially-conscious scientist,Dr. Jeffrey Weigand. Mr. Crowe, one of my favorite actors since first seeing him in "L.A. Confidential", brings multiple dimensions to his character. One the one hand you applaud Dr. Weigand for being so courageous in spite of the threats he receives from "big tobacco". On the other hand, you sense his pain, and the fear he has for his family. It is all in the eyes- Russell Crowe emotes like few actors can. WE WILL BE PULLING FOR HIM ON OSCAR NIGHT!While Russell Crowe is truly the star in this film, one certainly cannot overlook the outstanding performance turned in by Al Pacino. Mr. Pacino lives up to this movie's expectations, and provides wonderful depth in his character. The pure sarcasm in several of his lines leaves you laughing inside, while silently saying to yourself, "you know, this guy has a point!" Watching Al Pacino is a delight- and in the end, you hope he not only wins the right to produce TV as he sees fit, you are hoping that his character gets a raise! Al Pacino- you are not worthy of a "supporting actor" nomination, you are in a class all your own!Lastly, we cannot forget the performance of a veteran actor, Christopher Plummer. Mr. Plummer shows sides of Mike Wallace that you imagined were there, but have never been able to see. Mr. Plummer gives the movie perspective- and plays the depressive Mike Wallace with stunning accuracy. In the end, you forget that Mr. Plummer is an actor- you begin to think that the real Mike Wallace is the true actor! I will be looking for more good things to come from Mr. Plummer- he has made me a fan!This movie is as put together as it can get. The cinematography, direction, etc. give this film power. There are no lulls- you remain firmly entrenched in the plot throughout this movie. The sets, the tone, the music, it all blends together like a great cup of coffee- warm and enjoyable. Michael Mann reels you in, and does not let go. He takes you on a wild ride- your heart races, your eyes tear, your palms sweat, and you squirm in your seat. He does his job, and he does it well- he MOVES you.This story of one former tobacco scientist taking on big tobacco in an effort to bring awareness of health hazzards to the general public via television, will go down as a modern-day classic. The "behind-the-scenes" look at TV production, and more specifically, "60 Minutes", gives the general viewer an idea of not only how much time is spent producing a 15-minute segment for network TV, but shows the consequences on a man's life for being brave enough to care. I applaud Jeffrey Weigand, a hero to America. I also applaud the makers of "The Insider" , for having the courage, stamina, and awe-inspiring vision to bring this film to life.