Product: The Insider [VHS] (1999)
Rating: 4.0
A Perfectly Acted Drama
It is very concievable that a lot of people would dislike this film. After all, a three hour legal drama starring Al Pacino bellowing his lungs out is probably not most viewers idea of a day at the beach. None the less, I found the Insider to be a very compelling film that is elevated above other movies by its truly great performances.The Insider is actually two very different movies that are expertly woven into one. One plot is about a tobacco employee (Russell Crowe) who decides to violate his contract and reveal top-secret information about his company. He discovers the cigarettes he is helping to produce are deadlier than he suspected and he feels responsible to make this fact public. The second story is an exploration of media ethics. Al Pacino plays a 60 minutes producer who wrangles with television execs about the dilemma of airing Russell Crowe's confessions.Not only is the Insider just a legal drama, but it's also a thriller and an involving exploration of ethics. Russell Crowe, who is nominated for the film (deservedly so) turns in a flawless performance that compliments Al Pacino's usual over the top style. The best performance here however is given by Christopher Plummer who plays Mike Wallace, a host of 60 minutes. His performance is so great that it truly baffles me how it was ignored at the oscars.Occaisonally The Insider does seem long winded and in need of editing. The suspense aspect too often fizzles just as it is getting interesting. Russell Crowe's life is actually threatened by the words "we will kill you" but within a scene or two the viewer will forget that it was ever a part of the movie.Overall The Insider is impressive, if overlong, which is worth seeing ultimately because it is the best acted movie of the year. If you enjoyed Michael Mann's previous film "Heat" then you probably will be able to sit through and enjoy The Insider. If you found that one to be long and tedious then this will not be a film for you.