The Insider (1999)

Director:

Michael Mann

Writers (WGA):

Marie Brenner (article)
Eric Roth (written by) ...

Release Date:

5 November 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Warning: Exposing the Truth May Be Hazardous

Plot:

A research chemist comes under personal and professional attack when he decides to appear in a "60 Minutes" expose on Big Tobacco.

Plot Keywords:

Tobacco | Big Tobacco | Producer | Interview | Tobacco Industry

Awards:

Nominated for 7 Oscars. Another 21 wins & 34 nominations

Cast

Al Pacino	...	Lowell Bergman
Russell Crowe	...	Jeffrey Wigand
Christopher Plummer	...	Mike Wallace
Diane Venora	...	Liane Wigand
Philip Baker Hall	...	Don Hewitt
Lindsay Crouse	...	Sharon Tiller
Debi Mazar	...	Debbie De Luca
Stephen Tobolowsky	...	Eric Kluster
Colm Feore	...	Richard Scruggs
Bruce McGill	...	Ron Motley
Gina Gershon	...	Helen Caperelli
Michael Gambon	...	Thomas Sandefur
Rip Torn	...	John Scanlon
Lynne Thigpen	...	Mrs. Williams
Hallie Kate Eisenberg	...	Barbara Wigand

Also Known As:

60 Minutes (USA) (pre-release title)
Man of the People (USA) (working title)
The Untitled Tobacco Project (USA) (working title)
Untitled Michael Mann Film (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

157 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese | Arabic

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #36775) | Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | Canada:14A (Ontario) (video rating: 2004) | South Korea:12 | Brazil:14 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Manitoba) | Chile:TE | Czech Republic:12 | Finland:K-10 | France:U | Germany:6 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Mexico:B | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | Greece:K-17 | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Abaco Island, Bahamas

Company:

Blue Lion Entertainment

Trivia:

Val Kilmer was considered by Michael Mann for the role of Jeffrey Wigand. Producer Pieter Jan Brugge suggested Russell Crowe.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the scene of the interview with the sheik, Mike Wallace asks, "Do you think I'm a 78-year-old assassin?" But this took place in 1993, which would put Wallace at 74 or 75 years old.

Quotes:

Lowell Bergman: I am trying to protect you, man.
Jeffrey Wigand: Well I hope you improve your batting average.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Friday Night with Jonathan Ross: (#11.6)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Litany

Just Great Film-making......Period

Not always, but usually a Michael Mann-directed film means good things for movie buffs, and this is no exception.

Tremendous acting highlights this movie about a behind-the-scenes look at a "60 Minutes" story of a man who blows the whistle on a tobacco company. Al Pacino, as the TV show producer "Lowell Bergman," Russell Crowe as the whistle-blower and tobacco scientist "Dr. Jeffrey Wiegand," and Christopher Plummer as "Mike Wallace" all are riveting in their performances. They are intense characters, as are many of the supporting characters in this involving film.

There is little action in here but a ton of tension in the first hour of this long (158 min.) film. The story held my interest even when the tension left, thanks to the acting, the great cinematography, involving music score....well, just about everything. It's simply a well-done movie, similar to Mann's "Heat," except without the violence.

The only negative was the obvious Liberal bias, but that's not surprising being it's about "60 Minutes." I wasn't surprised when Ken Starr got a cheap shot, for example. This film bias could have been a lot more blatant so I'm not complaining. Obviously, they went a overboard in their stand against the tobacco industry, repeating the same damaging scenes over and over. However, I appreciated they didn't shrink from pointing out how the network was covering its own behind even though it was hurting its most successful program.

Photographer Dante Spinelli did an incredible job making this look fantastic despite the fact that there was no great scenery or exotic sets. As mentioned, this is just great film-making. What else can you say?