Rating: 
Summary: WOW
Review: this movie was very good. the cinematography and direction and camera work are excellent, first off. second, russell crowe is a joy to watch in a role where he stands to lose everything based on his morals and ethics. al pacino is a bit HOOWAA over the top with his character, but rightfully so, because he plays a lifelong journalist now working in a media where big business truly does run the show. michael mann is a very good director and i expect nothing but the best from his future films. a very riveting, shocking, and suspenseful movie that makes into a great film.
Rating:
Summary: Turning life into art
Review: To the people complaining that this film deviates from the factual record, I suggest spending a few minutes meditating on the difference between drama and real life. Real life is "polluted" with random distractions, irrelevant interludes, and semi-coherent utterances. Drama must be shaped to express and clarify issues that might otherwise be buried beneath the noise.Consider the decision to split the story between the whistleblower and the 60 Minutes associate producer. While Wigand is frequently referred to as the "insider," the story really sets up a symmetry between the two men. They are both insiders and whistleblowers. The story skillfully contrasts how each individual tackles the fundamental question of whether to adhere to idealistic principles or to protect their personal circumstances, of whether to sacrifice for causes bigger than themselves. The meaning of the actual events is that tobacco companies are exposed, litigation moves forward, personal fortunes are won and lost, etc. But the filmmaker makes these issues coexist with universal questions of personal responsibility, and that is the art of this very fine film.
Rating: 
Summary: Must See
Review: If there is one thing I have learned in my life, it is this--go see Al Pacino movies. The Insider is the story that went on behind the scenes of the big 60 Minutes scandal when they refused to air a show which blew the lid off of tobacco companies for fear of being sued. What this film has are some great performances by some incredible actors. They should show this film to aspiring actors. You are truly watching some great people at work here. The story is very interesting, and the unique style of the film gives it much more a doccumentary feel than the normal "based on a true story" tale. You will be riveted, and even though you basically know how it will end, you will still be very interested to find out why it ends that way. What this film does not have is a lack of footage. Or running time. Or whatever you want to call it--this film is long. Too long. I often criticize films for running too long, and this one runs about thrity minutes too long. There are a lot of establishing shots which seem to be beating the auidence over the head. Yeah, we get the point, everyone involved is a tortured soul. A little extra editing and this would have been a much tighter film, and possibly a 5X film. The Insider is a film that I hope is remembered come Oscar time. It is truly one of the best films I have seen all year. I can't imagine someone not liking it, but I can imagine some people getting tired at its long running length. If you had trouble making it through Titanic or Braveheart at the theatre, give this one a rental.
Rating:
Summary: Sterling film making
Review: The film is long; the impact is devastating. The entire cast is so commited that singling out Crowe and Pacino and Plummer seems unfair. The fact that this is a true story makes the film all the more terrifying. Are we really this manipulated by the media, by constraints of big business? Can we ever know the truth about such issues? As long as films like this surface we are fortuantely forced to stand and ask. A triumph of film making that addresses contemporary foibles.
Rating:
Summary: Great Film- Deserved More Credit Than It Received...
Review: This film, based on the true story of the Big-Tobacco whistleblower, is excellent. At the same time that it accurately portrays the key players of the story, it also creates a great cinematic atmosphere. Also, it gives a great view into how the power system of our country really works- its not all governed by "fair play". No longer can the different parties involved make claims and hide behind innacurate facts- this movie impartially tells it all, from the character smear attempts and the death threats by the Tobacco companies, to the hypocritical producers of 60 Minutes. The performances in this film are also great- as Jeffrey Wigand, Russell Crowe does excellently, a truly realistic portrayal of "The Insider". Al Pacino's performance as Lowell Bergman (a 60 minutes producer) is also believable, and he really develops his character well. None of the acting is superficial- it all conveys very well exactly who the characters were, how they felt. This movie is right up there with the other great films to appear recently, such as "American Beauty" and "The Green Mile". Everyone should see this great film- it'll change the way you think about our nation's system forever.
Rating:
Summary: Really, really, good.
Review: I'll just say it right now, this was one of those movies that you really have to pay attention to understand. This is why I gave the movie four stars and not five. But you see, this movie was so good,that through much of the movie, it was too darn good to NOT pay attention to. Al Pacino was AMAZING and Russell Crowe did a fantastic job. The Insider is a quite long movie, but if you have an hour or two to spend on TV...RENT THIS MOVIE. Its better then most anything on television these days, thats for sure, except maybe 60 Minutes. :)
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful movie, Pacino and Crowe are great
Review: I had heard about this movie when I saw the academy awards and wanted to see it. But my friend said she was watching it and her husband fell asleep. I thought it was nominated for a lot of awards it can't be that bad. So I watched it and i really enjoyed it, it seemed to be a bit lengthy but it had a good story supported by great actors.
Rating:
Summary: Thinking Person's Modern Classic
Review: This film is not perfect. My tolerance for overheated Al Pacino performances is eroding, and I just couldn't buy the premise that his character was THAT saintly. That said, this curmudgeon nonetheless gives "The Insider" five stars. Why?: * riveting (and I mean RIVETING) opening * Russell Crowe * the signature flawless visual style of Michael Mann and his lucky cinematographers * Russell Crowe * a true grabber of a story * Russell Crowe * "can't picture anyone else in the role!" secondary players -- another Mann speciality * Russell Crowe * Christopher Plummer capturing Mike Wallace in all his fatuous nobility * Russell Crowe * the stunning ability to create true suspense about a story whose ending is already known * Russell Crowe * a theme that forces the viewer to THINK ... and profit by the results * Russell Crowe 'Nuff said? Oh, and it was the best picture of the year (and I loved "American Beauty"). . . . did I mention Russell Crowe?
Rating:
Summary: Whistle-blowing, smear-campaigns and the media - A TRIUMPH.
Review: Let me preface this review by saying that "The Insider" is the only DVD in my collection that I purchased WITHOUT having seen the film beforehand. The reasons? Michael Mann, Al Pacino and Russell Crowe. With names like these credited to a motion picture, it's almost a can't-miss situation. I wasn't disappointed. Many people seem put off by the film's overlength. I say if the movie has you in it's grasp dramatically then it's more for your money... Russell Crowe is absolutely rivetting as the flawed protagonist. He expresses more with his facial expressions and subtle eye movements than most actors can by screaming dialogue and flailing their arms about. There is a priceless scene towards the end where a scruffy, pathetic Wigand comes undone in a hotel room - ethereal, haunting and compelling. The always-dependable Al Pacino complements Crowe's implosive performance with his own passionate portrayal of 60-minutes producer Lowell Bergman. Pacino's Bergman struggles hard against forces aligned against journalistic integrity: corporate tobacco's smear campaign against Wigand, the pressures posed by CBS not to air the news segment, not to mention the lack of support by his comrades. Both Bergman and Wigand deal with the pressures differently within their own element and when they clash it is drama of the highest caliber. Outstanding supporting performances by Christopher Plummer as Mike Wallace and Philip Baker Hall as Don Hewitt add icing to the cake. Michael Mann builds an air of suspense and paranoia in ways that few directors can. Scenes such as those of Wigand at a golf-driving range and Wigand being woken by his daughter in the middle of the night provoke tension. As a viewer, I could relate to Wigand's claustrophobia and his fear for his family. Mann accomplishes this with flair and style to spare with arty close-ups and slow motion, hand-held camera shots and an absolutely breathtaking score by Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke (- Any wonder that their music appears on Crowe's next film, "Gladiator"?) I loved this movie. Please see it with an open mind, and not just the "Gee, smoking is bad for you... DUH." attitude. You won't be sorry.
Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: I expected a 'liberal' movie droning on about the evil of tobacco but instead I got an excellent portrayal of a human being under pressure. In the final analysis the movie seems to be condemning Sixty Minutes more than it does the tobacco giants. The logic being that we all know tobacco is bad but we think we have a free press. Watch it and enjoy a well made movie!
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