“The Informant,” a comic thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh, follows Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon), a high-ranking employee at a food production corporation. When Whitacre realizes that the corporation is involved in price fixing scams, he becomes a whistle blower for the FBI in hopes of putting the corrupt businessmen behind bars. But, is that really his motive? Whitacre is either bipolar, schizophrenic or just a chronic liar. The more he says, the less one can make sense of his situation. At some points, he seems like a dimwitted buffoon, at other times a neurotic genius. Needless to say, watching it all play out makes for a fun, if imperfect, film experience.
“The Informant,” which is based on a true story, succeeds for two main reasons, its lead actor and its directorial panache. Damon, who is quickly joining the likes of George Clooney and Brad Pitt as one of the most iconic movie stars of the new millennium, has the character of Mark Whitacre down to a tee. He manages to capture the character’s unpredictable behavior, as well as his more self-righteous qualities. Melanie Lynskey also puts forth a solid performance as Mark’s wife Ginger Whitacre. While the duo’s actions are certainly dubious, their relationship remains solid and one could even describe their marriage as a strong one.
Also aiding the film is its direction. Soderbergh, whose previous credits include “Traffic” and “Ocean’s Eleven,” takes an interesting risk by presenting the film as a comedy. While the film does not reach the wackiness of a Coen Brothers’ picture, it does boast some pretty odd artistic choices. The film is shot like a 70s action movie with funky title cards and contains a fantastic retro score by Marvin Hamlisch. While some may be bothered by these obscure choices, they really do complement the film’s odd sense of humor.
Unfortunately, “The Informant!” falls apart in its third act. As the plot thickens, twists are thrown right and left and the film begins to lose some of its witty charm. It also devolves into a lot of legal mumbo jumbo, which proves annoying and, at times, just boring. While the film’s ending is rather disappointing, it still succeeds due to its unique visual style and wonderful lead performance. Despite its flaws, “The Informant!” illustrates how easily people, even large corporations and the federal government, can be manipulated in to believing just about anything. While crooks may utter “Trust Me,” as the film’s final music cue ironically suggests, do not believe them. Anyone can be a crook, even that smiling face behind the desk or that cheerful voice over the phone. The only people one can really trust are the artists – oh, and the critics too. (wink, wink)
“The Informant,” which is based on a true story, succeeds for two main reasons, its lead actor and its directorial panache. Damon, who is quickly joining the likes of George Clooney and Brad Pitt as one of the most iconic movie stars of the new millennium, has the character of Mark Whitacre down to a tee. He manages to capture the character’s unpredictable behavior, as well as his more self-righteous qualities. Melanie Lynskey also puts forth a solid performance as Mark’s wife Ginger Whitacre. While the duo’s actions are certainly dubious, their relationship remains solid and one could even describe their marriage as a strong one.
Also aiding the film is its direction. Soderbergh, whose previous credits include “Traffic” and “Ocean’s Eleven,” takes an interesting risk by presenting the film as a comedy. While the film does not reach the wackiness of a Coen Brothers’ picture, it does boast some pretty odd artistic choices. The film is shot like a 70s action movie with funky title cards and contains a fantastic retro score by Marvin Hamlisch. While some may be bothered by these obscure choices, they really do complement the film’s odd sense of humor.
Unfortunately, “The Informant!” falls apart in its third act. As the plot thickens, twists are thrown right and left and the film begins to lose some of its witty charm. It also devolves into a lot of legal mumbo jumbo, which proves annoying and, at times, just boring. While the film’s ending is rather disappointing, it still succeeds due to its unique visual style and wonderful lead performance. Despite its flaws, “The Informant!” illustrates how easily people, even large corporations and the federal government, can be manipulated in to believing just about anything. While crooks may utter “Trust Me,” as the film’s final music cue ironically suggests, do not believe them. Anyone can be a crook, even that smiling face behind the desk or that cheerful voice over the phone. The only people one can really trust are the artists – oh, and the critics too. (wink, wink)
B
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