The Insider

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2:30

The Insider

R

1999

2h 37m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

135 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

After seeking the expertise of former "Big Tobacco" executive Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe), seasoned TV producer Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino) suspects a story lies behind Wigand's reluctance to speak. As Bergman persuades Wigand to share his knowledge of industry secrets, the two must contend with the courts and the corporations that stand between them and exposing the truth. All the while, Wigand must struggle to maintain his family life amidst lawsuits and death threats.

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Critics Consensus

Intelligent, compelling, and packed with strong performances, The Insider is a potent corporate thriller.

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Adam Nayman

The Ringer

03/26/2019

Superbly shot and edited and boasting impeccable recreations of the 60 Minutes broadcast in which Wigand went public, The Insider matches Heat's intensity while raising the stakes.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

03/06/2018

Powerfully and elegantly, The Insider reveals a chilling reality: how hard it is to tell a simple truth when big business doesn't want it told.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

09/12/2017

A-

... the movie goes on a nail biting tear...

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Chuck Klosterman

Akron Beacon Journal

10/27/2023

3/4

As a piece of entertainment, it works amazingly well -- the story never drags and it seems to get a little more interesting with every scene.

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Ray Pride

Newcity

09/11/2021

10/10

In a century of obscene compromise, The Insider stands as a titanic moral enterprise... through image and sound and reserved yet deliquescent performance, captures men's wills. It's Heat, hushed.

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Caffeinated Clint

Moviehole

09/03/2020

Pacino and Crowe, powerful performers in their own, singular right, make for an extremely dynamic duo in this absolutely riveting, intricately plotted true account of a jaw-dropper case from a few years back.

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Daniel S

Dec 4

Too Real, Too Deep, 10 out of 10 Regret. Just Kidding The Insider is a powerful film that brings back the depth and meaning modern movies often lack. The story moves fast, stays tightly connected, and challenges the viewer with serious questions instead of easy answers. Russell Crowe delivers an outstanding, fully convincing performance that carries real emotional weight. In an era where intelligent films are rare, The Insider proves that strong writing and deep acting still matter. Highly recommended.

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Tyler S

@tylerking24 Nov 21

I'll definitely need to give this another watch, but first time through, I enjoyed this a lot. Pacino and Crowe's performances definitely stand out here.

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Geo3 F

Nov 12

This feels more of a documentary at times that an actual film. It is very slow pace so it’s not very easy on the eye however, one thing that I did like was the performances of Russell Crowe and Al Pacino they were fantastic. They carried this film aside from that is very informative however, because of the pace it’s hard to keep focus. I suggest maybe a break within half of the movie to not start falling asleep. Overall. A decent one time watch film.

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Omega A

Sep 23

Egregious understanding of legal principles and procedures. Obvious lack of research.

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Shorty M

Sep 5

I saw this movie on You tube and was captivated the whole time. The acting was superb from Russell Crow and Al Pacino. It amazed me at how this movie is right in step with what happened with Trump suing 60 minutes because he did not like their interview with Kamala Harris. In this movie Al Pacino warned the head of CBS that this was a bad deal and one from which CBS might not ever recover. True story. So my praises go out to the ladies and gentlemen who put their lives on...hold...to make this movie

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Amber M

Sep 3

What I didn't expect was an intelligently absorbing entertainment that ran for two hours and 40 minutes, during which I didn't once look at my watch -- just about the highest praise I can bestow upon a film these days.

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Michael Mann

Director

Al Pacino

Lowell Bergman

Russell Crowe

Jeffrey Wigand

Christopher Plummer

Mike Wallace

Diane Venora

Liane Wigand

Philip Baker Hall

Don Hewitt

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The Insider: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

After seeking the expertise of former "Big Tobacco" executive Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe), seasoned TV producer Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino) suspects a story lies behind Wigand's reluctance to speak. As Bergman persuades Wigand to share his knowledge of industry secrets, the two must contend with the courts and the corporations that stand between them and exposing the truth. All the while, Wigand must struggle to maintain his family life amidst lawsuits and death threats.

Director: Michael Mann
Producer: Michael Mann, Pieter Jan Brugge
Screenwriter: Eric Roth, Michael Mann
Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co: Touchstone Pictures, Buena Vista (Walt Disney)
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 5, 1999, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $29.0M
Runtime: 2h 37m
Sound Mix: Surround

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