Search - The Insider

The Insider tells the true story of a man who decided to tell the world what the seven major tobacco companies knew (and concealed) about the dangers of their product. Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe) was a scientist employed in research for a tobacco firm, Brown and Williamson. Not long after he was fired by Brown and Williamson, Wigand came into contact with Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino), a producer for 60 Minutes who worked closely with journalist Mike Wallace (played here by Christopher Plummer). Bergman arranged for Wigand to be interviewed by Wallace for a 60 Minutes expose on the cigarette industry, though Wigand was still bound by a confidentiality agreement not to discuss his employment with the company. Despite Wigand's willingness to talk, CBS pulled his interview from at the last minute after Brown and Williamson threatened a multi-billion dollar lawsuit. The staff of 60 Minutes and CBS News were soon embroiled in an internal struggle over the killing of the story, and Wigand found himself the subject of lawsuits and a smear campaign, without his full story reaching the public. The Insider was directed by Michael Mann and also features Diane Venora, Philip Baker Hall, Debi Mazar, Colm Feore, and Rip Torn. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Al Pacino - Lowell Bergman
Russell Crowe - Jeffrey Wigand
Christopher Plummer - Mike Wallace
Diane Venora - Liane Wigand
Philip Baker Hall - Don Hewitt

1999	Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama (nominee)	Golden Globe	Russell Crowe
1999	Best Director (nominee)	Golden Globe	Michael Mann
1999	Best Screenplay (nominee)	Golden Globe	Eric Roth
1999	Best Original Score (nominee)	Golden Globe	Lisa Gerrard
1999	Best Screenplay (nominee)	Golden Globe	Michael Mann
1999	Best Original Score (nominee)	Golden Globe	Pieter Bourke
1999	Best Director - Feature Film (nominee)	Directors Guild of America	Michael Mann
1999	Best Actor (nominee)	Screen Actors Guild	Russell Crowe
1999	Best Adapted Screenplay (nominee)	Writers Guild of America	Eric Roth
1999	Best Adapted Screenplay (nominee)	Writers Guild of America	Michael Mann
1999	Best Actor (nominee)	British Academy of Film and Television	Russell Crowe
1999	Best Actor (winner)	Los Angeles Film Critics Association	Russell Crowe
1999	Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (winner)	Los Angeles Film Critics Association	Christopher Plummer
1999	Best Cinematography (winner)	Los Angeles Film Critics Association	Dante Spinotti
1999	Best Actor (winner)	Broadcast Film Critics Association	Russell Crowe
1999	Best Actor (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Russell Crowe
1999	Best Adapted Screenplay (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Eric Roth
1999	Best Adapted Screenplay (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Michael Mann
1999	Best Cinematography (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Dante Spinotti
1999	Best Director (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Michael Mann
1999	Best Editing (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	William C. Goldenberg
1999	Best Editing (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Paul Rubell
1999	Best Editing (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	David Rosenbloom
1999	Best Picture (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Michael Mann
1999	Best Sound (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Andy Nelson
1999	Best Sound (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Doug Hemphill
1999	Best Sound (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Lee Orloff
1999	Best Actor (winner)	National Board of Review	Russell Crowe
1999	Best Actor (winner)	National Society of Film Critics	Russell Crowe
1999	Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (winner)	National Society of Film Critics	Christopher Plummer
1999	Best Cinematography (nominee)	American Society of Cinematographers	Dante Spinotti
1999	Best Picture (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Pieter Jan Brugge

Like most of Michael Mann's films, =The Insider is an extremely stylish character study, and the excellent 2.35:1 widescreen presentation of the movie on this DVD allows it to make maximum emotional impact. It's hard to say which is better: the excellent, moody Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio or the colorful, beautiful way the visuals have translated to DVD. The music of Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke is quite magical up against the pretty visuals, whether the score is indulging in evocative, bombastic form or simply flowing in ambient layers. Supplemental features include a short, glossy production featurette, the widescreen theatrical trailer, and a feature called "Inside a Scene," which dissects one scene from the movie, allowing a viewer to look at pre-production, shooting, and finished material. A director's commentary with Mann would have been fascinating but is nowhere to be found. Still, the movie stands on its own merits. =The Insider is full of subtle power in this DVD edition. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide

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