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The Informant! (2009)

6.5
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Ratings: 6.5/10 from 39,667 users   Metascore: 66/100
Reviews: 164 user | 245 critic | 37 from Metacritic.com

The U.S. government decides to go after an agri-business giant with a price-fixing accusation, based on the evidence submitted by their star witness, vice president turned informant Mark Whitacre.

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Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 10 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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Alexander Whitacre (as Lucas Carroll)
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Mark Cheviron (as Tom Wilson)
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FBI Special Agent Brian Shepard
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Storyline

Mark Whitacre has worked for lysine developing company ADM for many years and has even found his way into upper management. But nothing has prepared him for the job he is about to undertake - being a spy for the FBI. Unwillingly pressured into working as an informant against the illegal price-fixing activities of his company, Whitacre gradually adopts the idea that he's a true secret agent. But as his incessant lies keep piling up, his world begins crashing down around him. Written by The Massie Twins

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

un-believ-able See more »

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Thriller

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

| |  »

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

18 September 2009 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

El desinformante  »

Filming Locations:

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Box Office

Budget:

$21,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£179,612 (UK) (20 November 2009)

Gross:

$33,313,582 (USA) (11 December 2009)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

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Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Attorney James Epstein (Tony Hale) has a Mobius Advertising Award in his office. See more »

Goofs

When they are playing golf in Hawaii. The close up of the golf spikes that are being worn are Nikes. Nike did not have a presence in the golf industry when the film was taking place. Their entrance into the golf world did not happen until around 1996. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Mark Whitacre: [voiceover] You know that orange juice you have every morning? You know what's in that? Corn. And you know what's in the maple syrup you put on your pancakes? You know what makes it taste so good? Corn. And when you're good and help with the trash, you know what makes the big, green bags biodegradable?
Mark Whitacre: [to his son] Do you?
Alexander Whitacre: Uh-huh. Corn.
Mark Whitacre: Corn *starch*. But Daddy's company didn't come up with that one. DuPont did.
See more »

Crazy Credits

Prologue: "While this motion picture is based on real events, certain incidents and characters are composites, and dialog has been dramatized. So there." See more »


Soundtracks

"Trust Me"
Music by Marvin Hamlisch
Lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
Produced and Performed by Steve Tyrell
Steve Tyrell appears courtesy of E1 Music
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
A decent, inoffensive piece of dramatization
10 November 2010 | by (United Kingdom) – See all my reviews

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

The true story of Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon) who worked for a giant firm that produced lysine chemicals in products to be consumed by humans. Whitacre maintained a degree of honesty and integrity to his work, but when he uncovered evidence of price fixing with rival foreign companies, he turned undercover informant for the FBI...but, as events rolled on, it would appear he may have known a bit more about what was going on himself than he was letting on.

Playing like a lighter version of 1999's The Insider, Steven Soderbergh's dramatization of corporate corruption in the early 90s is amusingly on edge through-out, with Damon's constant muted voice-overs gently guiding us along this tale of principles and ethics clashing with corporate greed and deception. Damon is affable enough in the lead role (certainly hard to think of any actor who could have done it better) and the story is pretty relevant and dynamic. There's nothing about it that really makes it unforgettable or brilliant, but it's certainly worth a bit of your time. ***


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