Product: The Insider [VHS] (1999)
Rating: 5.0
Widespread Public Awareness.
To be cinematographically loyal to a Real Life Story is impossible, and this is because the only real truth to any story, is the point of view of its protagonist. Once an author takes the facts and expose them in any particular media, that point of view becomes a third person in the events, the objectiveness of those facts then become subjective to the intuition of the author. Now, the intention of that author has to be honorable, and that is: to honor the Truth of that story he or she is trying to tell, as accurate and close to the point of view of the people that went trough those events, that way the beholder will take that information through a third, and will judge it accurate, inaccurate or hypocrite, whatever that information is objectively right, or subjectively wrong. All the author need is: first hand information, objectiveness away from a partial judgment, a real understanding of that story, plus a real care for it, and confidence in a deep research work to be credit with. This is as close as you can hope to get, then you can digest it.When The Insider began shooting, Jeffery Wigand was still on litigation against Big Tobacco. Many of the specific information couldn't be disclose to Michael Mann and his crew, so he and Eric Roth took license and approach the story as close to the emotional truth of the protagonist with the intention to portrait the long way towards redemption and inner strength, a docudrama including the personal side of it. In no easy sense Jeffrey Wigand is a hero, but an ordinary man in extraordinary conditions, in the other hand, Lowell Bergman is an idealistic man who's moral professional ethics are about to be past over. Corruption, manipulation, psychological and financial aggression, personal interests, are the issues against these two man are tested with. How they survive and manage their way through victory, is a real statement of Integrity and Moral Truth.Based on a article published by Vanity Fair called, The Man Who Knew Too Much, The Insider is pure journalism language. The always interesting Michael Mann, narrates with integrity and courage, the events about two-man disclosure campaign against Tobacco giant Brown and Williamson, meaning absolute power in every sense. Jeffrey Wigand is set into despair when Big Tobacco C.E.O.'s threatens him with a massive sued in case he doesn't sign an extension of the confidentiality agreement he never intended to dishonor. And it is here when Lowell Bergman (a producer for 60 minutes), enters his counterpart to attempt the exposition of the real Truth of the Cigarette industry, and that is: cigarettes are a delivery devise for nicotine, light it up, put it in your mouth, and it will get you fix. Jeffrey Wigand's life will crush against this sons of bit', and Lowell Bergman will be betrayed by his own office and friends when C.B.S. Corporate pushes hard on C.B.S. News to not go with the story. Lowell and Wigand will endure, but after a nerve breaking battle of a life time, at the end the exclusive is lost, but the Story will be cast, and integrity and peace of mind will find its way again in the strong Jeffrey Wigand, and the audacious Lowell Bergman.Michael Mann gives you a lesson in cinema, his directorial skills are proved in this masterpiece, keen, powerful, and honest, just brilliant and much close to the real Truth as you can hope to get. The great Al Pacino portraits Lowell Bergman in an intense canvas of human will, excellent. Russell Crowe performance is absolutely impressive, all the complicated ways of Jeffrey Wigand, his despair, his moral debate of disclose this much important information, his emotiveness in times of no hope, all this is perfectly done by Crowe in his highly inspiring work (Actually, the best performance of 1999. Crowe lost the Academy Award against Kevin Spacey for his also great performance in American Beauty). Veteran actor Christopher Plummer also gives an excellent performance as the legendary and arrogant Mike Wallace (Wallace actually protested for this, but think about it, after all the accolades he has receive in his long career; Could it be possible that he just turned a little too cocky over the decades? So many people kissing your behind for so much time, must have some effect in your personality. Isn't that just so unfair Mike?). The rest of the cast is also great.A perfect adapted screen play, a beautiful and accurate photography, and an amazing music score by the great Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke, brings more emotion to the story (other musical credits includes: Graeme Revell, Massive Attack, etc), unforgettable. The Insider is that magnificent movie, that the Academy so often tends to past over and forget when then moment of Truth (in most cases, the best movie of the year), even with its 7 nominations, the Insider didn't get one single award, another huge oversight (Stanley Kubrick and Alfred Hitchcock never in their life time received an Academy Award for Best Director, such a thing completely discredits this highly prestigious Award). Never mind.The DVD is good, a quality visual transferring and a fine 5.1 Dolby Digital are great, the problem is that the DVD lacks of extras, just a production Featurette, the Trailer, and a Scene Comparison with the original script, is all that there is. I would have love to see the entire 60 minutes original Interview, and a 25 minutes Making Of, any way, the transferring is great, and that's all that matters. A must for your DVD collection.Interesting enough is that the movie talks about the Cigarette Industry in many ways, and goes even further with the manipulation surrounding it's addictive product, but never in the film one single person is shown smoking a cigarette.