The Informant

“The Informant” stars Matt Damon, Scott Bakula, Melanie Lynskey and Joel McHale in this docudrama based on the life and escapades of Mark Whitacre, a one time rising star at Archer Daniels Midland who turns informant. Although touted and advertised as a comedy, this is far from a humorous picture and, instead, presents an amazing study into the life and mind of the principal character. Written by Scott Burns and directed by Steven Soderbergh, the film, in an effort to be true to the facts as they occurred, takes a long time in telling the story but, like life, contains surprises and goes in directions the viewer never contemplates. Surrounded by the infectious music of Marvin Hamlisch,
this film represents a stylized effort by Mr. Soderbergh to capture the essence of its “hero” and to communicate the complexities that exist amonst those who do good, those who do evil and those who cannot differentiate the difference. I give the film 2 and ½ stars with special acknowledgment to Mr. Damon who, with an extra 30 pounds, carries the picture.