The Informant!

The Informant! (2009)

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Starring: Matt Damon, Scott Bakula, Joel McHale

Rating: R (Language)


This movie was...interesting. I've decided I actually need to see a movie that doesn't have plot twists so I can go a little bit more into detail about it without spoiling it for everyone who hasn't seen it. I didn't expect this movie to be this way, but it was, so I'll do the best I can!

Matt Damon stars as Mark Whitacre, a biochemist for ADM, which is a agricultural company that creates food products. In this true story, Whitacre decides to become a whistleblower after witnessing and being forced to partake in illegal activities. He goes to the FBI with his information and becomes involved in an investigation that soon makes him think that he's in way over his head. Things are going well for the FBI in their investigation until it becomes clear that everything is not what it seems.

In my opinion, the movie didn't quite meet what I was expecting. I was expecting a laugh-out-loud comedy, but it more of a quirky drama. I enjoyed the move, it just wasn't what I thought it would be. What I did find to be hilarious about the film was Whitacre's rambling narration of the film that would come randomly about topics that didn't have much to do with the current scene other than the fact that the situation seemed to trigger a memory in Whitacre's mind. An example is he is in a restaurant, and then in narration, he says: "I saved a guy in a restaurant once...He was choking on a chicken bone and I bent him backwards in his chair to clear his airways. He sends me cards during the holidays....just to say thanks...and tell me what his kids are studying in school."

If you are a fan of movies that contains mostly dry humor, then you would probably enjoy this movie. If not, it might not rank in your top ten. Matt Damon does give a good performance; I must admit it was different seeing him with the added thirty pounds that he put on for the role...not exactly reminiscent of Jason Bourne.

Overall, an okay movie with some humor, that seemed to drag on longer than I thought necessary, and wasn't what I was expecting. Because of that, I rate this movie a 5 out of 10.