Product: The Insider [VHS] (1999)
Rating: 5.0
Powerful drama
"The Insider" was one of the two Oscar-nominated films that actually earned its nomination. After his great film "Heat", which was also overlooked by the Academy, Michael Mann delievers a worthy follow up that captivates the viewer for more than two and a half hours.In many respects, "The Insider" is a typical Michael-Mann-picture. The screenplay offers rather traditional storytelling without any of the post-modern coolness that so many films have nowadays. The direction and the cinematography are highly stylized, which is also pure Michael Mann. Like in "Heat", the relationships between the characters are explored more thoroughly and in more explicit detail than in most other films. This gives the characters a depth that is rare in many of today's movies. Another great asset of "The Insider" are the performances by the whole cast. Al Pacino is powerful and credible as always and Russel Crowe is simply sensationel as the whistleblower Wigand who is threatened by his former company."The Insider" was surely one of the best films of 1999. It is a shame that it wasn't a box office success. I hope that Michael Mann is able to retain his style despite the commercial disappointment. Perhaps the seven Academy Award nominations will persuade the studios to keep him independent.