THE INSIDER R
Starring Russell Crowe, Al Pacino, Christopher Plummer, Debbie Mazar, and Gina Gershon
Kelly, our guest, says: ********** (10)
"The Insider" is a movie about the courage it takes to stand up for what is right regardless of the consequences. This is the true story of Jeffrey Wigand, a previous employee of a large tobacco company, who risked his life and family to tell the truth about the hazzards of cigarettes which the company wanted kept secret at the cost of peoples' health
The movie presents its case well by allowing us to see the lives of the main players fully - showing us more than just the action of blowing the whistle and court scenes. Russell Crowe disappears into the role of Jeffrey Wigand, exposing the hopes and fears of a middle-aged man caught in a moral/ethical dilemma. Al Pacino does a powerful job portraying Lowell Bergman, ex-"60 Minutes" producer. He reveals the dilemma of "getting the story" as well as the importance of "keeping your word" when it becomes very difficult to do so. Christopher Plummer turns in a great performance as Mike Wallace, anchor of "60 Minutes". He portrays the man with dignity and power, as well as showing us his human side. Humanity is truly the main charater of this story.
Underneath the development of the story and the characters is a powerful but inobtrusive soundtrack. It accompanies the tension, uncertainty, and fear that the actors allow us to feel along with them as the story progresses.
I hope this movie finds a large audience because it not only reveals the dangers of smoking cigarettes, it shows us the importance of caring for people and not just ourselves. See this movie!
Eric says: ********* 1/2 (9 1/2)
I never much liked the phrase "tour de force", but The Insider was made for it. Both Al Pacino as Lowell Bergman, a 60 Minutes producer, and Russell Crowe, former high-ranking tobacco executive Jeffrey Wigand, are dramatic dynamos.
I need to preface this by saying that I allow this movie all of the creative license that it likes. I am reviewing the entertainment factor, not how it depicts the reality of these events. Now that that's off my chest...
It is the mid-nineties. O.J. Simpson has just been acquitted in the criminal case. The FBI is hit on the trail of the UniBomber. There is a growing mistrust and resentment towards the tobacco companies. Scientist, Doctor, and Research Vice President of Brown & Williamson Tobacco Jeffrey Wigand has just been terminated due to his supposed lack of communication skills. "The Insider" delves into "60 Minutes" finding Wigand and using his intimate knowledge of Big Tobacco's lies to break a huge exclusive that could change health care issues throughout the entire country. It also deals with Wigand's personal struggles due to the whistle-blowing including losing his family, a public smear campaign, and threats on his personal safety.
Crowe looks easily twenty years older than he is, apparently also having gained weight to play the role of a 50-ish white collar worker. Obviously, in a Hollywood obsessed with body weight, this is a bold move. Aside from the physical part, his acting is superior, even better than Pacino's in many scenes. You feel the every-man indecision in his eyes, the frustration and sorrow as his story becomes increasingly more difficult to get out. Pacino, too, gives a great performance as the idealistic (too much to be believed) producer who fights to see the story aired. The story sometimes slants too heavily towards the Bergman character instead of staying with the more compelling Wigand. As far as CBS being in a huff over the story, executives can feel free to be upset, but Mike Wallace has nothing to fear, Plummer's performance makes him out to be a skilled, professional reporter with integrity.
A well acted drama that occasionally drags. A very solid script with spectacular performances. I, too, believe that good movies meet the classic definition of addiction.
David says:( in the vicinity of) ********** (+- 1/5 *)(8/10)
Well, I just found out that my original review is MIA. This is a movie that is worth seeing again, so depending on time and finacial constraints (I want to see a bargain matinee on Popcorn!!). Pachino, who in my mind almost inevitably reminds me of the devil) gives a gret performance as an energistic and very idealistic producer. - If I think a bit more, I might remember more to say.
FYI - Every so often, a movie completely screws up a locals. Well, the one that I'm familiar with in this movie was completely accurate - Pachino gave out a number with a 510 are code, which places him in the San Francisco Bay Area. The view through the window was of Albany Hill, from an angle in the North Berkeley / Kensington / El Cerrito Hills - a n area with a large number of expensice ($5,000,000 - multi-million dollor) houses. Thanks, guys!
our review of its preview:
THE INSIDER
This is based on the tobacco company worker whose interview on 60 Minutes was pulled due to the network's fear of retribution by the Big Bad cigarette companies and their lobbies. Al Pacino stars as the good guy of the network (no big surprise since the guy he plays is the writer of the story the movie is based on) opposite a wonderfully aged Russell Crowe who ends up looking a bit like the late J.T. Walsh. While it looks to be a taut drama with thriller aspects, it will be interesting to see how it holds up to the scrutiny of the reality its' based on.