The Insider (1999)

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

Director:

Michael Mann

Writers:

Marie Brenner (article), Eric Roth,

Stars:

Al Pacino, Russell Crowe, Christopher Plummer

Nominated for 7 Oscars. Another 28 wins & 34 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

Balls-out "60 Minutes" producer Lowell Bergman sniffs a story when a former research biologist for Brown & Williamson, Jeff Wigand, won't talk to him. When the company leans hard on Wigand to honor a confidentiality agreement, he gets his back up. Trusting Bergman and despite a crumbling marriage, he goes on camera for a Mike Wallace interview and risks arrest for contempt of court. Westinghouse is negotiating to buy CBS, so CBS attorneys advise CBS News to shelve the interview and avoid a lawsuit. "60 Minutes" and CBS News bosses cave, Wigand is hung out to dry, Bergman is compromised, and the CEOs of Big Tobacco may get away with perjury. Will the truth out?

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Plot Keywords:

cbs | tobacco | tobacco industry | interview | research | 

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Taglines:

Two men driven to tell the truth... whatever the cost.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Japanese Arabic Persian

Release Date:

5 November 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Man of the People

Filming Locations:

Abaco Island, Bahamas

Box Office

Budget:

$90,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£437,078 (UK) (10 March 2000)

Gross:

$28,965,197 (USA) (21 April 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Blue Lion Entertainment, Forward Pass, Kaitz Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

157 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The gun that Jeffrey Wigand has when he's investigating the noise outside is a Smith and Wesson .357 magnum revolver.

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Goofs

When Bergman and Wigand first meet in the hotel, Bergman places two documents on the table for him to read; the thinner document being placed on top of the thicker one. When Wigand picks them up the thicker document is on top.

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Quotes

Don Hewitt: I heard Wigand's deposition got sealed.
Lowell Bergman: Yeah, they argued he was gonna reveal the secret formula of Kools to the world.

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Connections

Referenced in Hollywood's Top Ten: Russell Crowe Movies (2010)

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Soundtracks

"Armenia"
Written by Blixa Bargeld (B. Bargeld) and Mark Chung (as M. Chung), Alexander Hacke (as A. Hacke) and Mark Chung (as M. Chung),
J. Caffery and Mark Chung (as M. Chung), F.M. Strauss and Mark Chung (as M. Chung),
, Andrew Chudy (as A. Chudy) and Mark Chung (as M. Chung)
Performed by Einstürzende Neubauten
Courtesy of Some Bizarre Records UK/Thirsty Ear Recordings USA

User Reviews

Crowe and Pacino together

Forget Russell Crowe's performance by numbers in 'Gladiator' (good though that film was), and enjoy his acting talent here alongside Al Pacino. Both men give inspired and classy masterclasses in how to put a character across. 'The Insider' is unusual, it is long and wordy (not often the case in modern movies), it has a superb soundtrack - 'Sacrifice', in particular - and it makes you involved, makes you care.

Curious, then, that a Roman epic outshone it. A good epic, but not in the same class.