Movie Review: The Insider

From the perspective of impact of corporate on society and vice versa and role of Media

The cinema and media are two strong proxies of society and are reflection of its various facets. However, the cinema also influences the society through interpretation of these facets by film makers. The media also from time to time has taken up causes through investigative journalism and has been called The Fourth Estate. When these two platforms combine, the impact is more powerful. One example is the movie All the Presidents Men, in which the courage and brave reporting of two reporters of Washington Post brings down a presidency and exposes the corruption at highest level of government. However the movie, The Insider shows the corruption prevailing in American Corporate culture and the impact of media to bring it to public attention. The movie deals with American tobacco industry which is using additives to make Nicotine more addictive. Al Pacino as 60 Minutes producer Lowell Bergman brings the issue of corporate corruption to the public attention. The Insider is an old-fashioned movie full of idealism, where good and bad are clearly marked. The Insider is packed with heroes and villains and plots and sub-plots. The chain of events starts when Jeffery Wigand (Russell Crowe) loses his job as VP of R&D of Brown and Williamson Tobacco Company. Despite aware of companys corrupt practices, he signs a confidentiality agreement to keep his fat severance package and costly health insurance. However, he cant keep silent for long and his consciousness haunts him. At this point, enter Lowell Bergman of 60 minutes, who convinces him to tell the truth and records an explosive interview with Wigand. The movie shows the moral corruption of corporate in a vivid way. The chilling confrontation scene between Wigand and despicable B&W CEO Thomas Sandefur (Michael Gambon), the suspicious death threats against Wigand and his family and legal traps, all presents a not so pleasant and sometimes contemptible picture of corporate America. Similarly, the movie shows the seepage of this corporate corruption into the Fourth Estate. Just before, Wigand segment is set to run, CBS executives are hesitant and afraid of a possible and huge lawsuit from Brown & Williamson. When an angry Wigand confronts Lowell, who is quite angry himself at the whole situation, tells that the real reason of not relaying the interview is that network is up for sale. A backlash from B&W in the form of lawsuit will rock the boat and deprive the executive from huge bundles of fat bonuses. This corrupt portrayal of media presents a grim picture to public. The media is supposed to be one platform which represents the interests of common men and when the media is corrupted, the public is left with no option to raise its voice in a rational way and the notion of a civilized society that we see is in danger.

The protagonist of the movie, Wigand is not a typical hero and has a few skeletons in the closet which comes to confront him later in the movie. However, his conscience overpowers him and his fight for a bigger cause hides his personal corruption (of initially bowing down in lieu of heavy monetary packages). The strongest and imposing character is of CBS producer Lowell, who initially is proud of the power of media to bring out the truth to society but is the one who is most shattered by the exposure of spineless media and its selling its soul to corporate devil. He is the pivotal point of the story and brings a kind of portrayal of society. The society which has always believed in the power and incorruptibility of media is gradually coming to terms with its tainted nature. In the end, corporate America wins a measure of redemption for being able to look in the mirror and present such an unflattering yet entertaining self-portrait.