The Insider (1999)
I still don’t care about 60 minutes.
Presentation:
One of Michael Mann’s better films, this has 90s vibes all over it. The story is interesting and realistically depicted for the most part due to the grounded handheld cinematography and intimate framing. This is kind offset by the over-dramatic soundtrack, which really pushes it at the beginning. At one point it comically attempts to have a tone of a horror thriller. Russell Crowe is good, Al Pacino is a charismatic lead as always and the supporting cast is great. I really thought it was Mike Wallace at one point. It’s a little weird seeing this film in 2025 especially with the CBS lawsuit and 60 minutes controversy, but I guess the film doesn’t argue that CBS has integrity here so it lines up. The story is captivating but I felt the presentation was lazy toward the end with forgettable cinematography relying on closeups and basic lighting. Lots of dialogue motivated cinematography, which is typical of Michael Mann’s character and dialogue driven style.
Conclusion:
Ultimately I zoned in and out throughout this film. It’s a good conspiracy legal thriller but just wasn’t developed as well as it should. Too much dialogue and not enough visual storytelling made it feel repetitive and redundant especially toward the end. Lacked a payoff and worst of all it didn’t even make me bother to look up the real events after the film. It’s not a bad film, the scipt can be compelling but I wasn’t impressed by anything and was left indifferent by the flat presentation. This is all the more surprising when you realize this film had a budget of 90 million dollars! A film that lives or dies by the script and actors.
Recommendations
I still don’t care about 60 minutes.