Today’s quick review: The Informant!. Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon), an executive for a major corn company, comes to FBI agent Brian Shepard (Scott Bakula) with allegations that his company has been fixing prices. The FBI takes an interest in the case, and Mark reluctantly agrees to gather evidence against his coworkers. But as the investigation wears on and the FBI starts to doubt his story, Mark has second thoughts about his involvement in the case.
The Informant! is a white-collar crime comedy about a good-natured corporate whistleblower. The Informant! paints a detailed portrait of Mark Whitacre, a personable executive with a loving family, a peculiar outlook on life, and a tendency to bend the truth. The FBI’s investigation soon hits a snag when one of Mark’s omissions comes to light, leading to long series of twists in the case that neither Mark nor the FBI see coming.
The Informant!’s most distinctive feature is its stream-of-consciousness narration. Mark’s inner monologue is a constant presence throughout the film, interjecting every few minutes with whatever thoughts happen to be passing through his head. Unfortunately, these tangents are never all that constructive. Rather than light diversions that shed light on Mark’s character, they come across as a narrative tic: tolerable but inane.
The rest of the film is a mixed bag. Mark has a few secrets he’s hiding, but the film does a poor job of presenting them. The Informant! beats around the bush when it comes to major plot developments, leaving the audience to fend for themselves. There are little moments of genius sprinkled throughout the movie that gradually reveal more of Mark’s character, but they are hard to pick out among all the other incongruities with Mark’s story.
How much you get out of The Informant! will depend heavily on how much you enjoy Matt Damon’s performance. Those who see Mark as a likable man with a few unfortunate character flaws will appreciate what the film is trying to do. But many viewers will find Mark to be too flawed to like and too ordinary to hate, putting the movie in an awkward spot. Those who like subdued comedies may want to give it a shot; others should approach with caution.
For a crime comedy with similar characters and more punch, check out Burn After Reading. For a raunchier comedy about corporate crime, check out The Wolf of Wall Street. For another character-driven story about lies and a far-reaching investigation, check out Catch Me If You Can. For a tense thriller about financial fraud, check out Margin Call.
6.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for a well-drawn main character who never quite clicks.