The Informant! Brilliant Mind, Warped Values

Matt Damon's latest film proves to be an accurate dramatization of one of America’s most amazing stories: the triple agent take down of Archer Daniels Midland Company, one of America’s premier agricultural giants. Mark Whitacre, biochemist, executive and self acclaimed whistleblower, managed to play the super spy, liar extraordinaire and top executive conspirator. He kept it up long enough to take down the management of ADM, embarrass the FBI and steal over 9 million dollars. What’s more, the story is true and the new film The Informant! is extravagant and bright.

ADM was part of a worldwide conspiracy to fix prices on lysine and other agricultural products. With worldwide partners, ADM was part of one of the biggest international embarrassments in history and without Whitacre the scam may have continued. According to Dean Paisley, former FBI supervisor of the price fixing case, Mark Whitacre was a “national hero” despite his problems with the law. Paisley’s words say a lot: “Without him, the biggest antitrust case we've ever had would not have been."

That’s the brilliance of Damon’s new film, the dichotomy of Whitacre’s amazing story. Mark Whitacre is a brilliant biochemist but an absolutely clueless thief and betrayer. According to the film, and interviews with FBI and various news sources including NPR, Mark believed that ADM would consider him a hero and he might possibly be the next president of the industry leader. To listen to Whitacre speak is a true revelation. Apparently, though this was brought out in interviews more than the film, Whitacre wasn’t sleeping, totally caught up in manic-depressive swings and grandiose imaginings. One of the movie moments says it all: Whitacre claims that he’s 0014, “twice as smart as 007.”

The Informant is a very accurate account of the amazing story. Mark Damon is so in character as the befuddled biochemist that Whitacre seems a real person cast in the film, not a movie representation. Through most of the film there was no Matt Damon, there was only Mark Whitacre. Even his physical transformation was astounding. Damon appears pudgy, soft and bald. There is no evidence of the lean Jason Bourne or slender killer, Tom Ripley. Matt Damon is a young actor at the top of his craft and it shows.

The Informant! is a very clever throwback to the 70s, with music, screen displays and movements that seem as mundane as Whitacre's personality, but then we discover his incredible ability to lie, cheat and steal. It’s a great ploy: lulling the audience and then bringing down the hammer… the truth. I thoroughly enjoyed The Informant!, though I would tend to recommend the film to the more mature audiences. I am absolutely sure you will laugh, be stunned and then laugh once again at the sheer audacity of this remarkable film.

Take special note: Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap) is in the film and he’s excellent. It is almost impossible to believe that Scott Bakula was cast as FBI Special Agent Brian Shepard, but even more, that he was wonderful in the part. This is not an action film and Bakula plays Shepard so minimalist that I had to focus each time he was on the screen to reassure myself it was him. That is remarkable. Look for Bakula to expand his portfolio.

Go see The Informant! You will enjoy it.

Rating 3.5 out of 5.