Product: The Insider [VHS] (1999)
Rating: 5.0
A Must See - Wigand is a True Hero
Forget anything negative you may have heard about this movie. Forget any protestations that the story is not entirely true or that it presents some characters in a negative light. This is a superb movie which will move you greatly. When I first watched the movie, I was struck by the terrorization that this man suffered, the threats on his and his family's life, and ultimately the disruption of his marriage. Regardless of the dramatized details, Jeffrey Wigand was threatened, sued, and was placed under extroardinary pressure not to tell the truth about a major public health issue. This is a compelling story anyway you look at it.Both Russell Crowe and Al Pacino are excellent. Russell Crowe has captured the essence of this man in a way that is uncanny when compared to the real Jeffrey Wigand. His performance is a feat of acting. Al Pacino is hard-hitting and electrifying. Visually, the movie brings to life the sense of desparation and paranoia which the characters must have felt. The score is haunting and moving as well.Jeffrey Wigand left the tobacco company and became a high school teacher, winning the Teacher of the Year award in 1996. This cannot be the same person that the tobacco industry has been trying to portray as a "master of deception." He is a true hero.