Rating: 
Summary: .
Review: Engaging and well-performed: Russell Crowe does an exceptionally good job of portraying an ordinary man under extroardinary pressure (incidentally, I think that's a line from the movie itself.) Worth watching for the subtle brilliance of his performance alone. Plumber is equally remarkable as Mike Wallace. Al Pacino is ... well ... Al Pacino, but ... that's always fun to see, and his intensity keeps the film compelling and taut. The peculiar soundtrack, pieced together and composed by, I believe, a Dead Can Dance member, adds a nice, mildly surreal/ethereal undercurrent to the events, although at times it is a bit too much. There's a very subtle sort of ... new-age, flittering acoustic guitar refrain ... which is used brilliantly -- and is that actually Einsturzende Neubauten playing at one point? I could swear it was. However, the choral stuff gets a touch overbearing here and there. It isn't quite a masterpiece -- did we really need the "guys like you are in short supply in this world" exchange between Pacino and Crowe? I prefer not to be instructed what to think of the characters and their circumstances, and you have to imagine an exchange like that was added for dramatic effect. There are a few little details like this that I could've done without. It's a fairly minor complaint however, and the Insider was, on the whole, well worth the time.
Rating:
Summary: Compelling if not entirely factually correct
Review: Deeply compelling if not entirely accurate story of how 60 Minutes used tobacco industry insider Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe) to expose critical information. Despite its length and leisurely pace the film accumulates more tension and genuine drama than most slambang thrillers half the length. Excellent performances abound. Film's biggest flaw: substantial shift in dramatic focus halfway through, but it's more then redeemed by the movie's overall power and grace.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the top three best of '99
Review: "The Insider" was the first great film I had seen at the movies last year and I had to wait until practically the very end of the year to see one. Russell Crowe gave the preformance of a lifetime as the title character and the real-life hero Jeffrey Wigand and won an Oscar nod for his work. He is certainly my favorite contemporary and one of the most believable actors to come around in a long time. Al Pacino although given top billing was somewhat shoved into the background when the reviews appeared in the papers and on tv but Christopher Plummer was given the worst shaft of all when he didn't get an Oscar nomination as supporting actor for his brilliant portrayal of "60 Minutes" giant Mike Wallace. The film is easily one of my three favorite films of '99 (second only to "American Beauty" and followed by "The Green Mile"). See it and you will not be sorry in the least. It is a great film with a stellar cast!
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing Movie
Review: The Insider is a brillant, engrossing movie about Dr.Jeffery Wigand a tobacco scientist at Brown & Williamson. He is unfairly fired from his job and after much soul searching Dr.Wigand decides to blow the whistle. He contacts 60 minutes producer Lowell Bergman to reveal what the tobacco industry has been hiding from the general public. Lowell wants the story, however Wigand is reluntance to reveal all of the information because of outside pressure. Eventually both men agree to do the story with Mike Wallace performing the interview. The problem is Wigand is violating his agreement with Brown & Williamson not to reveal any information and the company issues a gag order against him. The bigwigs at CBS decide not air the story because of ligitation. I found Russell Crowe, Al Pacino, and Christopher Plummer performances compelling and awesome. I often asked myself if I would put my family in hardship over the great good of truth. This movie really puts that issue in prespective. I would recommend this movie.
Rating:
Summary: An very strong film, directed by Micheal Mann.
Review: Micheal Mann is best known for directing:Supense Thriller-Manhaunter(1986), Adventure/Romance/Drama-The Last Of The Mochicans(1992) and Action/Drama-Heat(1995). Everybody known This film is based on a True story, despite of some fiction characters in this film. The film about a man named Jeffrey Wigand(Extremly well played performance by Russell Crowe, his best since L.A. Confidential.) quits his job at tobacco company, because of a Drug, making people very addicted to cigarette smokers. Then me meets, a reporter named Lowell Bergman(Al Pacino in a fine performance), also a Producer for CBS. Jeffrey want to tell the truth about the company, he`s working for but Jeffery signed a company agreement to not talked outside about any secrets to the tobacco company. Since he tell some truth about his ex-employee to the reporter. Now jeffrey is receive some death treats from his ex-employee, also his wife and his two childrens are in danger also.After Jeffery is being interview by Mike Wallace(Strong Performance by Christopher Plummer)for a CBS special is not live but recorded by Wallace producer:Bergman. The Real Problem start, when controversy about Jeffrey Wigand interview to too hot for T.V. and CBS may not air the CBS Special, for being too much information by Jeffrey , because are scare to air his interview with being sued by Tobacco Company. Telling the truth is more complicated than any thing of the life of Jeffery Wigand. This is an very strong film, also best film of 1999. The film recieve 7 academy awards nominations, too bad, it`s didn`t win nothing. Russell Crowe should have win for Best Actor, (Kevin Spacey, His performance is very strong also in American Beauty, he win for Best Actor.) But Crowe was the best on the another four actors, was nominated for best actor. Micheal Mann directing also and His Screenplay with Oscar Winner Screenplay writer-Eric Roth, he`s known and Win the Screenplay adapation of the book-Forrest Gump. Best Casting is Canadian actor: Christopher Plummer, didn`t get an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in the film was really well cast in this film:Playing Mike Wallace was a Stroke of Genius in this film. The New Zealand runs almost 10 minutes longer than the U.S. Relase. An strong film, just a little too long but still an Excellent Drama. One of the best most realistic films of 1999. Grade:A-. Panavision.
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Summary: Excellent docu-drama...90's "President's Men"
Review: In 1999, with films pushing the envelope of storytelling(Blair Witch, Fight Club, Matrix) this compelling drama could be considered simple, but it is a remarkable feat of exposition and performance that was unsurpassed last year. Michael Mann has definitely made his best film to date, and it is a piece of storytelling that will go down with "All The President's Men" as a superior journalistic drama. What can you say about Russell Crowe other than magnificent? The reason it is so amazing is to see the other work he has done. He is so effortless in this film that anyone not familiar with his work will not realize what a stretch this is. Pacino is the anchor of this film, and he is, as always, wonderful. Ranging from funny to intense, he takes the audience through this journey and never lets us down as he tries to tell his story to the nation. Christopher Plummer was absolutely robbed of a nomination for his portrayal of Mike Wallace, bringing the different shades of nobility and compromise that Wallace must have been feeling during the entire ordeal to light. He was awesome. Final thought: Bravo to Mr Mann for putting Gary Sandy in this film. Sandy is known best as the lead in "WKRP in Cincinatti" and he plays a shady lawyer in the film. WE WANT MORE GARY SANDY!
Rating: 
Summary: Good But Not Best Picture
Review: The Insider was pretty good considering its 2hr and 35min run. It's most insightful on tobacco subjects and the acting well, the acting was great. The only thing that I thought was wrong with the acting was Al Pacino but then, I'm not really a Pacino fan. It just seems to me that he was trying way too hard with all that yelling and that dominating tone of his. Now, on the other hand, Russell Crowe was excellent. I know that he's one of the most greatest actors of now. He didn't get what he deserved and it's a shame because he should of. Over all, The Insider was good. To me it really wasn't a thriller. It lacked suspense but all the drama that you need is in here and that should not be missed.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful and Intriguing
Review: When I first went to see this movie, I wan't sure if I would like it.. I mean, the idea of a man who is blowing the whistle on the cigarette industry seemed a bit dry and far fetched to me. However, I was very pleasantly surprised and I thoroughly believe this is the best film of 1999. Russell Crowe is nothing short of phenomenal as Jeffrey Wigand. To think that hunk of a man turned himself into an overweight, middle aged business man fascinates me. Pacino was terrific as well. I felt it was his strongest performance since "Scent of a Woman". Now for the story, well, it is throughly intriguing. It is suspenseful and really draws you into the characters, the events, and the whole reality of it. The Insider is well written and well acted and definitely worth viewing.
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Summary: What a great film!
Review: Michael Mann has delivered an engrossing, visually compelling film about a subject that could have been lifeless and boring. This story of Jeffrey Wigand, a corporate VP and scientist for the Brown & Williams tobacco company, kept me riveted to my TV screen. Wigand, played by Russell Crowe in an incredible performance, blew the whistle on Brown & Williams and their corporate policy of using cigarettes as the means to deliver altered nicotine to their customers. His decision to do so resulted in personal hardship for him and his family. The other part of this story is about Lowell Bergman, played by a surprisingly low-key Al Pacino, and how he convinced Wigand to tape an interview with Mike Wallace exposing the B&W information. When CBS realized that the story could open them to litigation, they refused to run the 60 Minutes interview. This film tells of the turmoil surrounding both Wigand and Bergman as they find out that, in big business, money sometimes overshadows integrity. This is not an overly preachy film. It delivers a message as much about personal integrity as it does about corporate greed. Wigand is portrayed as a faulty hero - at times dislikable, at others a heroic figure who just wants to do the right thing. Kind of like most of us. The DVD delivers a fine anamorphic transfer and the audio is a subtle but clean Dolby Digital 5.1 track. There are limited extras (as is the norm for most Disney studio films) but the short featurette was nice to have, as you see the real Wigand and Bergman discussing aspects of the film.
Rating:
Summary: An extraordinary film
Review: I loved "American Beauty", but "The Insider" was right up there with it in all of its palpably affecting state. I swallowed every scene like it was water, twitched at every misfortune that fell upon its characters. Both Pacino and Crowe are extraordinarily convincing and compelling, and for us to sit there and hear their their frantic attempts to resolve their problem is like sitting in cold water, or boiling water. Powerful and terribly compelling, "The Insider" is one of the top films of the year. It's way up there.
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