Product: The Insider [VHS] (1999)
Rating: 5.0
Phenomenal look at the battle between morality and money
60 Minutes' famous journalistic lense is turned back on itself in one of the most exciting dramatic films of 1999. Aside from the great performances by nearly all concerned, the story is - from start to finish - riveting.At its core, it's the battle of one ordinary man's battle between losing everything he holds dear, family and reputation, and what he knows to be the right thing - exposing the tobacco industry's efforts to chemically engineer cigarettes to be more addictive. Along the way, watch as 60 Minutes exec. producer Don Hewitt is seen caving to corporate pressure to cut the story to shreds because the corporate division is concerned the segment may lead to a lawsuit that will jeopardize an unannounced sale of the network to Westinghouse and the resulting big bonuses and salaries to corporate executives and a sleazy lawyer (is there any other kind?) delisciously played by Gina Gershon.Russell Crowe, Al Pacino and Christopher Plummer hold nothing back in their performances. For anyone who's ever been curious about how a news organization works (or stumbles occasionally), this film provides the insight. The DVD is a wonderful transfer, also.