The Insider (1999)

What if Michael Mann, Russell Crowe and Al Pacino ensemble in a film all together? Well, The Insider, with the above clever formula does exist and it is definitely an earthly paradise. Russell Crowe is a tobacco industry researcher named Jeffrey Wigand who accidentally revealed a addictive substance abuse in a famous tobacco company named Big Tobacco. He appeared in a CBS program “60 Minutes” based on an invitation by its presenter, Mike Wallace. His fate changed drastically, he had no choice but to sacrifice his reputation, job and family. In contrast to his heroic role in Gladiator, Crowe here plays excellently as a hero who tries to fight for his freedom as it is taken away when he has to deal with corporate criminals. Al Pacino performs well as usual in his role as an investigating journalist named Lowell Bergman. Mann attractively packed this 2,5 hour long crime drama with a variety of careful analysis so that this film is away from boring.

I was drooling when I saw the first preview. the talent involved in this...aaaaahhhhhhh. You just know it's going to be good. And Crowe, who thinks he's the best actor who ever lived actually acted in this. Seeing him actually act is worth it. Many of us believed it was only a legend, but here it is, proof he does have talent somewhere beneath the brass. Pacino, Mann, Plummer, Gabon and you turn around and low and behold Gershon is doing a good job too. It's like a dream cast with a B-Team that rises up to the challenge. I'd give it a 10 if...wait, I can 10 of 10 just because it is a privilege to watch everyone in this film...who cares about the plot even? It could have been the worst story ever written and the cast and director would have saved it. It was like they were doing Richard III. that quality of awesome.