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Movies / Upcoming / The Informant!
The Informant!

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The Informant! (2009)

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Reviews Counted:193

Fresh:148

Rotten:45

Average Rating:6.8/10

Consensus: A charismatic turn by star Matt Damon and a consistently ironic tone boost this quietly funny satire about a corporate whistle-blower.

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for language

Genre: Comedies

Theatrical Release:Sep 18, 2009 Wide

Box Office: $33,278,731

Synopsis: What was Mark Whitacre thinking? A rising star at agri-industry giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Whitacre (Matt Damon) suddenly turns whistleblower. Even as he exposes his company's... What was Mark Whitacre thinking? A rising star at agri-industry giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Whitacre (Matt Damon) suddenly turns whistleblower. Even as he exposes his company's multi-national price-fixing conspiracy to the FBI, Whitacre envisions himself being hailed as a hero of the common man and handed a promotion. But before all that can happen, the FBI needs evidence, so Whitacre eagerly agrees to wear a wire and carry a hidden tape recorder in his briefcase, imagining himself as a kind of de facto secret agent.

Unfortunately for the FBI, their lead witness hasn't been quite so forthcoming about helping himself to the corporate coffers. Whitacre's ever-changing account frustrates the agents (Scott Bakula and Joel McHale) and threatens the case against ADM as it becomes almost impossible to decipher what is real and what is the product of Whitacre's active imagination.

Academy Award® winner Matt Damon ("Good Will Hunting," the "Bourne" movies) stars in "The Informant!," based on the true story of the highest-ranking corporate whistleblower in U.S. history. The film also stars Scott Bakula, Joel McHale and Melanie Lynskey.

"The Informant!" is directed by Academy Award® winner Steven Soderbergh ("Traffic") from a screenplay by Scott Z. Burns, based on the book The Informant (A True Story), written by Kurt Eichenwald. The film is produced by Gregory Jacobs, Jennifer Fox, Michael Jaffe, Howard Braunstein and Kurt Eichenwald. George Clooney, Jeff Skoll and Michael London served as executive producers, with Michael Polaire co-producing.

The behind-the-scenes creative team includes production designer Doug Meerdink, editor Stephen Mirrione and costume designer Shoshana Rubin. The music is by multiple Oscar® winner and nominee Marvin Hamlisch ("The Sting," "The Way We Were").

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Participant Media and Groundswell Productions, a Section Eight-Jaffe/Braunstein Enterprise, "The Informant!" --© Warner Bros [More]

Starring: Matt Damon, Scott Bakula, Joel McHale, Melanie Lynskey

Starring: Matt Damon, Scott Bakula, Joel McHale, Melanie Lynskey, Tony Hale, Thomas F. Wilson, Rick Overton, Tom Papa, Adam Paul, Paul F. Tompkins, Clancy Brown, Patton Oswalt

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Screenwriter: Scott Z. Burns
Producer: Gregory Jacobs, Jennifer Fox, Howard Braunstein, Kurt Eichenwald
Composer: Marvin Hamlisch
Studio: Warner Bros.

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Reviews for The Informant!

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A showcase for Matt Damon's talents, but a dramatically confused film.

Full Review Source: Oscar Guy | comment Comment
12/12/09
Wesley Lovell
Wesley Lovell
Oscar Guy

A smart movie about being dumb. Very funny and well-acted. Enjoyed from start to finish! Paul Chambers, CNN.

Full Review Source: CNNRadio | comment Comment
12/07/09
Paul Chambers
Paul Chambers
CNNRadio

Visual and narrative punchlines strike flawlessly like the absurdist humor of a Bugs Bunny cartoon...

Full Review Source: Cinemalogue.com | comment Comment
12/06/09
Rubin Safaya
Rubin Safaya
Cinemalogue.com

...nothing less than a colossal misfire...

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
12/06/09
David Nusair
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews

The Informant!'s capacity to acknowledge both the malign and the good natured sides of this tragic individual makes it an absorbing tale.

Full Review Source: MovieTime, ABC Radio National | comment Comment
12/03/09
Jason Di Rosso
Jason Di Rosso
MovieTime, ABC Radio National

Director Steven Soderbergh is desperate to make us laugh, but can only make Matt Damon podgy and bland in this underwhelming and unfunny tale of deception and whistleblowers in the food industry.

Full Review Source: Screenwize | comment Comment
12/03/09
Simon Weaving
Simon Weaving
Screenwize

It's like being told lies for an hour and a half. And I'm just not into that.

Full Review Source: At the Movies (Australia) | comment Comment
12/02/09
Margaret Pomeranz
Margaret Pomeranz
At the Movies (Australia)

A very smooth, very dry and hugely enjoyable movie.

Full Review Source: At the Movies (Australia) | comment Comment
12/02/09
David Stratton
David Stratton
At the Movies (Australia)

You never know where you stand with Steven Soderbergh, but you cannot accuse him of resting on his laurels -- or making the same film twice.

Full Review Source: The Age (Australia) | comment Comment
12/02/09
Jake Wilson
Jake Wilson
The Age (Australia)

Damon transforms better than many of his A-list peers, and his Mark makeover is the reason to see The Informant!

Full Review Source: Sunday Mail (Australia) | comment Comment
12/02/09
Ben McEachen
Ben McEachen
Sunday Mail (Australia)

A very entertaining and densely layered comedy for grown-ups with attention spans.

Full Review Source: sbs.com.au | comment Comment
12/02/09
Lisa Nesselson
Lisa Nesselson
sbs.com.au

Hilarious and intriguing -- Matt Damon's convincing performance reveals the many layers of this true story.

Full Review Source: FILMINK (Australia) | comment Comment
12/01/09
Brian Duff
Brian Duff
FILMINK (Australia)

I was laughing readily at the very oddity of this presentation and the comedy in general, and it also helps quite a bit that Damon does a fantastic job playing this strange character.

Full Review Source: ReelTalk Movie Reviews | comment Comment
11/29/09
Jeffrey Chen
Jeffrey Chen
ReelTalk Movie Reviews

It isn't until the third act that we really get to grips with the whole scenario enough to ride it like a theme park adventure

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
11/28/09
Andrew L. Urban
Andrew L. Urban
Urban Cinefile

The adaptation of Kurt Eichenwald's book is as smooth as silk in Steven Soderbergh's hands while Matt Damon is a revelation as the self-professed 'good guy' who spills the beans

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
11/28/09
Louise Keller
Louise Keller
Urban Cinefile

Matt Damon gives the best performance of his career so far.

Full Review Source: Observer [UK] | comment Comment
11/27/09
Philip French
Philip French
Observer [UK]

A loopy comedy-drama every bit as mercurial as its protagonist.

Full Review Source: Daily Mirror [UK] | comment Comment
11/27/09
David Edwards
David Edwards
Daily Mirror [UK]

It's certainly a novel approach, but it stops the story engaging us either as an espionage thriller or as a comic caper.

Full Review Source: Independent on Sunday | comment Comment
11/27/09
Nicholas Barber
Nicholas Barber
Independent on Sunday

It sets out to be less pompous than similar films, which inevitably means it feels less substantial. While amusing rather than hilarious, it ought to establish Matt Damon as a star character actor.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
11/20/09
Kim Newman
Kim Newman
Empire Magazine

It may come across like a self-satisfied madcap bauble, but that titular exclamation mark is the key that unlocks the myriad subtextual delights of Soderbergh’s timely latest.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
11/20/09
David Jenkins
David Jenkins
Time Out
 
 
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Latest News for The Informant!

September 18, 2009: Scott Bakula Talks The Informant! Opens in new window
He's currently in "The Informant!" but Collider had plenty of other stuff to ask Scott Bakula about during their interview -- including, of course, his stint on "Quantum Leap." More...

September 17, 2009: Critics Consensus: Jennifer's Body Is Hot, But The Movie Isn't
This week at the movies, we've got a possessed student body (Jennifer's Body, starring Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried); an oddball snitch (The Informant!, starring Matt Damon and... More...

September 09, 2009: click for trailer and preview Opens in new window
More...

July 12, 2009: Trailer & Poster review Opens in new window
More...

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