“They argued he was gonna reveal the secret formula of Kools to the world.”
-Directed by: Michael Mann
-Written by: Eric Roth and Michael Mann
-Director of Photography: Dante Spinotti
-Cast: Russell Crowe, Al Pacino, Diane Venora, Christopher Plummer, Philip Baker Hall, Bruce McGill and Michael Gambon
-Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rkvxi5hdbA&feature=related (Gotta miss those creepy ‘90s narrators)
Just caught this on Netflix Instant, and holy moly. This film is, bar none, Michael Mann’s most mature work and what I think is his best (not “favorite”…until they throw in an epic, bank robbery-gone-awry gunfight involving DeNiro and Pacino with M16’s, that crown sits firmly atop Heat). Next to All the President’s Men (1976) and Ace in the Hole (1951), The Insider ranks as one of, if not the most relevant interpretation of the backdoor dealings and personal stakes involved in a media-fueled whistleblower scenario.
In a Nutshell
Dr. Jeff Wigand (a nigh unrecognizable Russell Crowe) is a biochemist for the medical research department at Brown & Williamson, one of the seven major big tobacco corporations. Although the CEO’s have publicly claimed ignorance to any addictive nature of their products, Wigand is ousted from his role after he raises questions regarding a carcinogen ingredient and amplified nicotine volumes. Seeing trails in the rearview mirror and death threats in his emails, Wigand, despite his severance gag order and marriage-on-the-rocks, risks his family, life and career to develop the story with 60 Minutes producer Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino) to put the truth on air. Will CBS execs redeem Wigand’s credibility by broadcasting his interview, or will they be swayed toward the sound of B & W’s pen signing a check? It is based on actual events and was produced with the support of the real Wigand and Bergman.
Solidness
Michael Mann, with Manhunter, Thief, Heat, Collateral, Miami Vice and Public Enemies under his belt, has engraved his name in the crime movie library by depicting loud, realistic rat-a-tat shootouts between relateable male protagonists with blurred morals, whether they be a bank robber or detective. The Insider is a gem because it signals a transition to a genre untouched by and yet ideal for his style. Similar to the themes of his gangster pictures, the story revolves around two men cornered by the pitfalls of their occupations and who are human enough to make mistakes and recognize them as such.
The occasional handheld jiggle and the minimalist, grey-tint color tones create the illusion that the events are being narrated as a gritty, real-time documentary. Unlike with Paul Greengrass’s gimmicky ‘throw-up cam’ in the latter two Bourne films…ahem, I mean ‘shaky cam’, Mann entrusts the other half of his voyeuristic style’s execution to the performance of his actors.
Crowe, having put on weight (or let himself plump back to normal after Gladiator? Accolades should be reserved until we get to the bottom of it) and donning a mop of graying hair, disappears in this role. During Wigand’s most vulnerable moments, you may feel a pang of guilt for prying in on his private affairs, because it’s as if you’re seeing it all through the eyes of a fly on the wall. Al Pacino is still Al, but he gives his most subdued performance to date here. His hooting, hollering and “hooah!’-ing is non-existent, and his few outbursts are more than justified by the stress on the character. In other words, he doesn’t fly into tirades like a roid-raging Italian who just dropped his last cannoli (I’m half Italian, so I know how precious those things are). Bruce McGill pops in for a memorable bit part as Wigand’s lawyer, a fierce Southerner who isn’t about to take any crap from the smug tobacco attorneys. As with any successful cinematic collaboration, the direction services the performances while the performances enhance the effectiveness of the cinematography. Honestly, The Insider could triumph as a silent film because the meat of the performances rests in the creases of the actors’ faces. Mann’s camera remains uncomfortably close to their eyes and mouths, but that’s because they constantly have a restrained emotion to display; a technique that relies on the capability of genuine, nuanced character actors, not simply those who can spew lines with theatrical exaggeration (Nic Cage, we’re on to you. “Not the bees!”).
The screenplay’s structure never confuses the audience in its progression through multiple years, and the dialogue is curt but realistically poignant for that very reason. The writing too reflects the minute details inherent in the life of an everyman, an example being Wigand cutting a meeting with Bergman short because his two daughters have a half day at school.
The Insider was nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Russell Crowe for Best Actor, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Cinematography, so it wasn’t too big a secret how special the film was upon release, but somehow it has managed to slip through the cracks even among fans of Mann. The Academy Award Ceremony is not a consistently unbiased representation of the year’s best, but they had this one right. The only mistake the voting members made was failing to follow it through with wins in all the aforementioned categories.
What Went Wrong?
Not much. In fact, my one criticism to all you would-be watchers isn’t a complaint, but a word of warning for those readers who are on a tight schedule and need a quick fix, no pun intended. The Insider is a tense and historically fascinating ride, but at 2 hours and 37 minutes, it’s a slow boil. It demands the audience’s undivided attention and patience in establishing the relationships, both business and familial, that are torn apart by Wigand’s and Bergman’s decisions to battle their respective corporate and editorial systems. So if you normally crave an escapist treat after a day with your boss in your ear, delay this behemoth until you’re snowed in and won’t be keeping tabs on the minute hand.
The second point of minor annoyance was the soundtrack, but based on other’s reactions on IMDB it appears I am in the minority. Lisa Gerrard, the singer who provided the angelic chant vocals for Gladiator, showcases nearly identical work in this. Her hymns are breathtaking, but jarringly inappropriate when set across the backdrop of a suburb, news station or courtroom.
Bottom Line
This is a hands-down must-see for every film aficionado at least once in their lifetime. It is mature filmmaking with a career-best performance from Crowe. Nonfiction cinema is rarely this edge-of-your-seat.
Leave your own thoughts on The Insider below! Please?
No comments:
Post a Comment