The Insider

In director Michael Mann’s testosterone coated world, confrontation is key. Giants, icons, man-beasts lock horns in physical, mental and emotional combat. This staple of Mann’s films, of conscience clashes and one-on-one wars always ends with the archetype winner and loser. But when the true to life events from 1994 involving hundreds of billions of dollars, a three-way tug of war between a whistle-blower, a television newsmagazine producer and a tobacco conglomerate, the consequences are a far cry from the stark contrast of black and white champions and victims. As battles are fought on legal, financial and personal fronts, the complexities mount and the tension factor rises exponentially.

Jeffrey Wigand, played by Russell Crowe, is faced with a situation that is painful to think about and difficult to deal with. After getting fired from his job as a chemist in charge of research and development at Brown and Williamson, he happens to be contacted by Lowell Bergman, a producer for 60 Minutes on CBS for some assistance. When it suddenly seems that Wigand is privy to information that can potentially lead to an expose on tobacco industry malpractice, Bergman’s ears perk up and the story takes a turn a la "All the President’s Men." Wigand, a hothead by nature, is pressured both to talk and to refrain from doing so. Staring him in the face is his the moral choice, the good that would result from this interview. In the back of his mind, though, lies the threat of Brown and Williamson to cut his severance package, which would severely curtail the medical benefits his sick child requires. As Wigand proceeds to unwrap his story, corporate ferocity starts to unravel his life. He is the subject of a unmerciful smear campaign and is even threatened for arrest in certain states for breach of contract in his deposition testimony. Bergman is soon forced to succumb to different types of pressures as he is informed by CBS executives that Westinghouse, CBS’s soon to be parent company, objects to the airing of the Wigand interview, which, should it occur, may influence their interest in the merger, with potential shock waves ranging in the billions, capable of tossing jobs and shattering industries. Bergman’s loyalty to his source is fractured leaving Wigand to face his hunters alone.

In terms of sheer dramatic power, Mann is somehow able to keep the narrative to a riveting pace, and hits the ground running from the first minute up until the last hour. The film was written by Mann, the typical practice with his films, though he shares co-writing credit with Eric Roth, an Oscar winner for writing the "Forrest Gump" adaptation. The intelligence communicated in the script is mind blowing, which not only signifies the talent of the writers, but also reflects on the complexities of such a realistic situation. The film is potentially the most intelligent film to be released by Hollywood since "Quiz Show," and defines the genre of the corporate thriller, as the only film it resembles is "All The President’s Men," a political thriller.

The performances in "The Insider" leave nothing to be desired. Al Pacino, gives off a rock hard image as Lowell Bergman, an aggressive, defensive, and prodding television journalist. The real gem of a performance comes from Christopher Plummer as "60 Minutes’" Mike Wallace. Plummer turns in a commanding presence, as he is required to mimic Wallace’s rumored egotistical nature in real life. Even more powerful is the performance of the main actor of the film, Russell Crowe. Crowe manages to create an aura of explosive silence as a tortured personality caught between the battles of journalistic ethics and management concerns, constantly maintaining hold of his eye-grabbing performance.

Other accolades the film deserves are in the more creative departments. The cinematography is used as a subtle indication of Wigand’s paranoia, as camera angles in the film emerge with a perspective from behind Wigand’s head. Other moments of the film are quite picturesque. Daunt Spinet, Mann’s cinematographer, has been responsible for the look of his other films, such as "Heat" and the gorgeously shot "Last of the Mohicans." The makeup should also be commended. Christopher Plummer miraculously mirrored Mike Wallace, and Russell Crowe was somehow transformed from the virile, young hero of "LA Confidential," to that of a 50 year old stoic presence.

"The Insider" has already won numerous industry awards in all major categories, and though has shown lackluster box office receipts, is clearly ahead of the game, as a benchmark for future real-life reenactments. It is perhaps Mann’s best film because it is his best script and his actors keep creating powerful moments through their screen time. It is clearly among the best of the year.