The Informant!, starring Matt Damon, Melanie Lynskey, Eddie Jemisonn and Scott Bakula, is based on a true story written by Kurt Eichenwald. Based on the shocking true story of Mark Whitacre, an executive at multinational agricultural firm, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) who exposed a price-fixing plot but appeared to be one of the most unstable and unreliable whistleblowers anyone can imagine. The movie is a whimsical, sometimes silly treatment of a really serious subject,.
In this adaptation of the book by Kurt Eichenwald, Whitacre at first seems to be genuinely concerned about ADM’s price-fixing of a new food additive called lysine. When the FBI is called in to probe a case of apparent blackmail against his employer, Whitacre is caught up in the investigation and ultimately volunteers his own concerns about the company. He sees himself as a spy and agrees to wear a wire to help expose the firm’s pattern of corruption. What the FBI does not know is Whitacre’s own involvement in his company’s scheme — he has a hidden “profit-sharing” plan which even the top execs at ADM are not aware of.
To play Whitacre, Damon had to gain 30 pounds, grow a moustache, acquire a hairpiece as well as dorky glasses. Damon is brilliant in his portrayal of this very complicated character. He gradually reveals more of Whitacre’s disorder as the film proceeds.
In its first 15 to 20 minutes, the movie is a bore but it gets going for a comedy thriller. A monologue runs through Whitacre’s head throughout the movie and one quickly gets the sense this is not a normal guy, but a complex individual who must have attention deficit disorder (ADD). Some of Whitacre’s monologues are funny, odd, intelligent, and imaginative. A few surprising moments and cameo appearances like the Smothers brothers who are known for their comedy hour aren’t as funny as many of the other cameo appearances. The only one who is funny through out the movie is Mark. Mark’s wife is the only one who sticks with him through thick and thin, but even she at times seems as if she is clueless about what’s going on.
This movie is different from other Matt Damon’s movies such as the Bourne series, Saving Private Ryan and the Ocean series; don’t expect any action from this dark comedy thriller.
The set of the movie is based on the 90’s looks and feels retro in a way. A lot of the shots are inside of offices, houses, hotels around the world where Mark Whitacre holds the meetings while under investigation, but you won’t really see much of the big cities.
I doubt a movie like this would make it into the top box office I recommend watching this movie when it comes out on DVD. It is not worth going out of your way and shelling out $10 for. Alternatively, go to your local library and check out the book.
The movie was an hour and 48 minutes long and directed by Steven Soderbergh who directed all of the ocean movie series, Grey’s Anatomy, Traffic, and Erin Brockovich. The producers were Gregory Jacobs, Jennifer Fox, Michael Jaffe, Howard Braunstein, and Kurt Eichenwald.