Review: The Informant! (2009)

[Steve Rhodes]

THE INFORMANT!
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2009 Steve Rhodes

RATING (0 TO ****):  ** 1/2

Easily the two most interesting aspects of THE INFORMANT! are that this 
extremely bizarre movie is based on a true story and that the movie takes a 
sharp turn about mid-way through, completely changing the thrust of the 
narrative.

Told with off-puttingly zany music, director Steven Soderbergh's THE 
INFORMANT! has the strange tone of the Coen Brothers' BURN AFTER READING. 
Since THE INFORMANT!'s characters play almost like a cross between circus 
clowns and Keystone Cops, one wonders just how closely the script follows 
reality.  But, whether it's mainly fact or mainly fiction, the film is 
always intriguing, even though it's too slow and too long.

Matt Damon plays the story's central figure, Mark Whitacre, a whistleblower 
who causes the agribusiness giant ADM to pay massive fines and to have many 
of its key executives imprisoned.  At first, Whitacre appears to be the 
center of the story, but, eventually, we come to realize, that he is the 
story.  The film isn't about ADM's malfeasance as much as it is about the 
increasingly eccentric Whitacre.

Whitacre is a motormouth who talks to us constantly in voice-over.  Although 
his monologues are frequently about ADM's price fixing and his part in it, 
he also drones on to us about splotchy skin, where in the world to buy the 
best ties, ways to sneak purchases through customs, and many other esoteric 
topics.

An orphan from a rich family, Whitacre has risen to the level of Vice 
President at ADM and has an annual salary in excess of a third of a million 
dollars.  One of many proofs of how out of touch with reality he is comes 
when he keeps asking the FBI if they think he'll still be okay in the 
company after he rats out all of his co-workers and bosses.  He sincerely 
thinks that he'll be promoted to CEO after the scandal breaks.

For most of the movie, I stared at the screen with my mouth open in a 
you've-got-to-be-kidding look.  But, sometimes Whitacre's weird antics did 
get some laughs from me.

Even if you never laugh at THE INFORMANT!, you will at least be provided 
with much sage advice from Whitacre.  Typical of these words of wisdom comes 
when he tells us that a good way to save time is to floss while showering. 
Time is money, so by listening to him, I guess, you might learn enough to 
pay for the price of admission.

THE INFORMANT! runs 1:48.  It is rated R for "language" and, in my opinion, 
would be acceptable for kids around 9 and up.

The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, September 18, 
2009.  In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the 
Cinemark theaters and the Camera Cinemas.

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