THE PROLOGUE:
You can tell the summer season is over when: A. The box office numbers come crashing down, B. Most of the
mainstream audience has no idea what to see in theatres, and C. Smart “artsy” films are released. I had my choice of a
number of films to choose from this past weekend, but I decided to go with “The Informant!” My choice was pretty easy
due to the fact that I am a big fan of director Steven Soderbergh’s work. He’s had his ups and downs basically flirting
between big Hollywood films (Ocean’s 11,12, & 13) and small indie art house films (The Girlfriend Experience, Bubble).
Our generation is actually lucky to have someone like Soderbergh because it’s not easy to bounce between a paycheck
and a personal project, but he does it with grace and style. When I heard about “The Informant!” I knew it was going to be
sort of the middle ground between art and mainstream. Having worked with Matt Damon before on the “Ocean” films,
there had to have been a great chemistry between actor and director. Matt Damon had to trust Steven Soderbergh and
vice versa. Knowing very little about the plot only from trailers I was quite surprised at the final results of the film. Having
been advertised as a full-blown comedy, it was easy to confuse its audience. That can be a positive or negative thing; it all
depends on the point of view of its viewer. I however, was intrigued and the best part about it all is that it’s actually a true
story.
THE PLOT:
Matt Damon stars as Mark Whitacre, a rising star at agri-industry giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM). Whitacre suddenly
turns whistleblower and informant for the FBI. Even as he exposes his company's multi-national price-fixing conspiracy,
Whitacre envisions himself being hailed as a hero of the common man and handed a promotion. But before all that can
happen, the FBI needs evidence, so Whitacre eagerly agrees to wear a wire and carry a hidden tape recorder in his
briefcase, imagining himself as a kind of secret agent. Unfortunately for the FBI, their lead witness hasn't been
cooperative in being fully honest. Whitacre's ever-changing account frustrates the agents (Scott Bakula and Joel McHale)
and threatens the case against ADM as it becomes almost impossible to decipher what is real and what is the product of
Whitacre's active imagination. "The Informant!” is based on the true story of the highest-ranking corporate whistleblower in
U.S. history.
THE FILMMAKING:
“I see 4k!” If you’re a filmmaker then you’ll know what I mean by that quote. Since the golden age of Hollywood, the
technological advancements have grown. Years ago it was very expensive to produce a film and the digital era was just
taking off. Since then we have been exposed to High Definition cameras that have amazing resolution, or should I say
“Film-Like.” One of the high-end cameras to hit the market was The RED ONE camera, which can shoot at a resolution of
4k lines. In English this means that there is a cheaper camera that can shoot just as great as most big Hollywood films.
Nowadays it’s easy for most people to pick up a camera and shoot a film, but cameras like the RED ONE make it look
fantastic! Steven Soderbergh was one of the first filmmakers to embrace this technology. He has shot “Che: Part I & 2”,
“The Girlfriend Experience”, and now The “Informant!” with this camera. Honestly I think only a handful of people can pick
out the difference between really good HD and Film. “The Informant!” Immediately sets it’s tone by playing with color
palettes, set design, wardrobe, and music. It felt as if I was watching a cheesy 90’s cop drama. I loved it! The use of the
HD camera mixed with certain lens filters gave the film a special look that really brought the viewers into the early 90’s.
Steven Soderbergh really directed this film with a lot of style. It’s easy to tell that a lot of research time was put into this
film. Not to mention that the directing of the actors is great as well. The great thing about the “The Informant!” is that it
mcould have easily been a heavy dramatic piece. We are deal with a serious subject matter and one that really did happen
nonetheless. Instead, Soderbergh brings a comedic offbeat tone to the film. We follow the main character, we sympathize
with him, then as we find out more and more we don’t know what we feel anymore. Betrayed perhaps? That’s what made
the directing and acting in this film truly stand out, the fact that we fall victim to Mark Whitacre’s manipulation as well.
THE PERFORMANCE:
Such a film like “The Informant!” requires a great screenplay and genuine acting amongst many things. Not having to rely
on a bunch of A-list stars or big explosions can be tough. Thank goodness that this film has a great script and more
importantly a great character. Mark Whitacre has a truly complex personality. You can tell he is battling a lot of demons
inside, but he knows how to hide it well. With such a character study, it is very easy to fall flat into failure if the right actor
is not attached. In comes Matt Damon, who is just one of the most gifted actors in Hollywood today. With the success of
the “Bourne” films, it’s great to see him come back to this small indie films. I keep stating that in order to have a successful
career in Hollywood as an actor, you MUST know how to balance art and mainstream. Make a film that will give you a lot
of fame and money, and then make a small indie film that will showcase your acting talents and will challenge your skills.
So it makes me happy when someone like Matt Damon can do just that. To get into the role of Mark Whitacre, Matt
Damon packed some extra pounds. Throughout the film I realized that he didn’t really need to do that, he could of just
worn a fat suit. I read somewhere that he insisted on gaining the weight in order to make his performance more authentic.
This is normal in Hollywood, but sometimes can fail: ex. Jared Leto in “Chapter 27”. The intensity of the role doesn’t rely
on the physicality of the character but instead on pure psychology. Throughout the film we fall in and out of love with Mark
Whitacre. By the end of the film we end up feeling like most of the other characters, lied to and betrayed. For an actor to
play with that much subtext is a challenge. The rest of the cast was great as well but this is truly Matt Damon’s film. The
best lead actor performances of the year so far. I wouldn’t doubt it if Damon receives an Academy Award nomination.
THE FINAL THOUGHT:
“The Informant!” is smart and very mature. Beware of the trailers and commercials! It’s not your average comedy or date
night flick pick. That is where the fault lies in this film. Most people have complained that it’s pacing is slow and takes time
to build up. I can agree and disagree with that. At first It felt slow and I kept waiting for things to pick up. When things get
interesting, it doesn’t stop from there on. Once the film was over, I realized that the slow build up was unimportant to me. I
actually felt glad that it starts the way it does, truly essential to the storytelling. It’s that kind of movie when you think back
on it you realize that it was really good and a lot of things caught you off guard. Knowing what you know at the end of the
film, it all just makes sense. “The Informant!” is a promising start to the awards season. Steven Soderbergh has made a
really good film with a great story to tell. The backbone of this film is Matt Damon’s performance, which is guaranteed to
receive a lot of buzz. I recommend this film only if you are ready to pay close attention and can forget all the blow-em up
movies you’ve seen all summer. It’s a smart offbeat drama-comedy. But is it too smart?
Rating: 4 out of 5 FILM FRAMES
|
 |
