“The Informant!”

Rated R (for language)



There is a star in “The Informant!” who is in nearly every scene but receives no billing. He is Abraham Lincoln — as in “Honest Abe.” This is just one of many subtle gags director Steven Soderbergh uses in telling a serious story via a wacky comedy. The primary theme of this story is dishonesty, both corporate and personal. I am not sure, but I think “Honest Abe” is a bit bemused by all the shenanigans in “The Informant!”

Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon) is a corporate executive at ADM (Archer Daniels Midland) in 1992. He holds a Ph.D. in bio-chemistry, lives in Decatur, Ill., and makes a lot of money to support his family of five. He also has a horrible toupee and a belly paunch (Damon gained 30 pounds for the role). One day he goes to his boss and tells him that a Japanese executive has told him that the product of his division (lysine — a food additive) is being ruined by a company mole and for $10 million. He (the aforementioned Japanese executive of ADM’s competitor) will expose the mole and solve the problem of the virus. Whitacre is shocked the next day when he finds out his boss has called in the FBI.

Whitacre soon tells his FBI handler Brian Shepard (Scott Bakula) that the real secret is that ADM is involved in price-fixing with the competition. The FBI then asks Whitacre to wear a wire and investigate the company. The only problem is that the FBI discovers, that along with price-fixing, there is a problem with Whitacre’s credibility. He lies and then he claims to tell the “real” truth which turns out to be not so true. He then “confesses” that he has not told the whole truth and then he lies again…or does he?

Wacky, kooky, and goofy is not only a good way to describe Whitacre but it also applies to the movie itself.

Soderbergh uses a lot of comedians who play their parts “straight.” My favorites are the Smothers brothers, Tommy and Dick. (One plays an ADM executive and the other a judge.) The soundtrack is also eccentric — kind of a throw-back to the 1960s along with the titles that keep us informed of the date and location of the action. Some may find this disconcerting, but I found it appealing, refreshing even.

By the way, Matt Damon, when we finally see him without the toupee, has an amazing resemblance to Clint Howard. I think Matt Damon does a fantastic job playing this role. He avoids overacting. Somehow, his character is cartoonish without being unbelievable.

I was one of the first out of the theater. I moved swiftly so I could eavesdrop on folks. A Santa look-a-like, with a thick New York accent, came out remarking to his buddy that the movie was mighty good and brought back a lot of memories — and then he chuckled in a way that implied that he may have been privy to a few of these backroom deals in corporate America. I think Santa knew a few Whitacers in his day.

I know that a lot of film critics hated “The Informant!” The dean of film critics, Roger Ebert, however, gave it four stars out of four. When a movie confounds the critics like that, it makes me think that it is like a work of new art: no one will know if it is really good until most of us critics are dead.

So if my humble description of the film appeals to you, go see it; Then write your own review and leave it for your grandchildren (or great-grandchildren) to read in 50 years.

Just be sure to define: wacky, kooky and goofy.

“The Informant!” Earns four bow ties out of five.