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Movie review: The Informant!
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Movie poster courtesy of Warner Independent
Pictures.
Director Steven Soderbergh and Matt Damon reteam for The Informant!, a comedy that just isn’t funny. It had a lot of promise, but contrary to how the previews teased it, the movie just wasn’t entertaining.
The movie is based on the true story of Mark Whitacre, a vice president at agri-business giant Archer Daniels Midland. When he's pressured for something that's beyond his control, Whitaker lies his way out of it, claiming that a competitor is sabotaging their production of lysine and extorting money from the company. The corporate bigwigs panic and bring in FBI agents Brian Shepard (Scott Bakula) and Bob Herndon (Joel McHale) to investigate. Finding himself in hot water with the FBI, Whitacre embellishes that Archer Daniels Midland is participating in a global price-fixing scheme. Shepard and Herndon discover that nothing is what it seems with Whitacre.
Though the plot summary seems like an exciting roller coaster ride, it’s surprisingly flat and anti-climactic. The Informant! does offer a few chuckles if you can wait for the film to slowly transition to the second half. However, the first half confusingly jumps around leaving you scratching your head and checking your watch. It’s one of those movies where something happens, but you don’t understand what it was until two or three scenes later and you feel like you’re constantly playing catch-up.
If the poor story wasn’t irritating enough, then the out-of-place music and senseless voiceovers make it next to impossible not to check out during the film.
Damon did pack on some pounds for the role, but his weight, goofy mustache and toupee just weren’t enough to outshine the bland storyline.
If you’re dying to see the movie, do yourself a favor and wait for it at the dollar theatre or on DVD. Better yet, skip it all together and save yourself two hours of wasted time.
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