Product: The Insider [VHS] (1999)
Rating: 5.0
Intellectual Thriller Appreciated
"The Insider" starring Russell Crowe and Al Pacino is a rare intellectual thriller based on real-life events from the 1990's. You kept expecting the shooting and car chases to begin, but the story kept to pressure bearing down from all sides on the insider (a corporate whistleblower). Both Pacino as the TV journalist and Crowe as the whistleblower give good, understated performances. The production, directed by Miami Vice veteran Michael Mann, is stylized, but seems to fit the non-physical story well. Start this one on an off-day or early in the evening, as it's over 2 1/2 hours long.