Theres a responsibility to the truth and what really happened, scafaria says, and its not a black and white story, after all. It depicts whitacres involvement as a whistle blower in the lysine pricefixing conspiracy of the mid1990s as described in the 2000 nonfiction. That ending naturally wouldnt make a cinemascorefriendly the rock movie, which is why david fanning producer of snitch and frontline admits that with true stories when confronted with the. Sep 18, 2009 matt damon stars as mark whitacre in a scene from, the informant the opening title card of the informant. Based on a bizarrely true story, this is the tale of mark whitacre, a young executive at a food processing corporation who one day tells the fbi that he would like to blow the whistle on illegal. Sep 16, 2009 mark whitacre was the highestranking executive in u. Hollywood went to work making a film version of white boy ricks life, while an hbo documentary crew moved into the prison to film a tellall about his story. And because its based on a true story, its dramatic potential is limited. Even so, this is an important movie about the sinful nature of man as manifested in.
Matthew mcconaughey raises americas youngest drug dealer. He got to read the world is flat by thomas friedman and i got to read the informant. Sep 12, 2019 theres a responsibility to the truth and what really happened, scafaria says, and its not a black and white story, after all. Jul 02, 2018 is there anything more satisfying than watching a movie thats based on a true story. Although not a blockbuster, the informant is an interesting, diverting film. The stark reality of the story is not very funny, and the ending doesnt give viewers much hope. Coming to it on its own terms however this is an engaging story told with a comic air that works and makes the film as entertaining as it is interesting. But the whistleblowers story has a second actand here it is. The film, directed by steven soderbergh and produced by george. Parents need to know that this engaging steven soderbergh comedy received an r rating principally for language. Set in 1980s detroit at the height of the crack epidemic and the war on drugs, white boy rick is based on the moving true story of. Kurt eichenwald, a seasoned whitecollarcrime reporter for the new york times, opens his gripping book with a quote from pirandellos six characters in search of an author, the first.
I dont think the informant ultimately succeeds either at what it set out to do. I count this among director steven soderberghs best. In the movie, the character of whitacre is portrayed as exhibiting bizarre. Watch the complete footage of the john murtha abscam meeting, view an interview in which mel weinberg defends accusations that he accepted stolen gifts during abscam, and watch the american hustle movie trailer. The true story of white boy rick, the fbis youngest informant. Oct 01, 2009 watching the premiere of the informant. The infiltrator movie vs true story of robert mazur, emir. This story in itself promises a potent account of corporate espionage, but in the informant, thats not the half of itor even an eighth, for that matter.
The key to the story is the informant himself, mark whitacre, the president of one of adms largest and most successful divisions. This film tells the incredible true story from the inside. However, the movie ends where mark goes to prison, but mark says that is not where the story should end. According to a crawl before the picture begins, the movie is based on a true story involving the archer daniels. Gets better as the film proceeds had some smirks but i didnt laugh profusely would watch again. Aug 20, 2019 mark whitacres largerthanlife role as an fbi mole is forever memorialized in the movie the informant. The movie concerns itself with mark whitacre damon, an employee of adm, a food production company. Jun 17, 2019 maybe so in the case of the new movie true story, based on the real case of christian longo, accused murderer of his wife and three children, and michael finkel, the disgraced journalist whose. Is robert mazurs streetwise partner in the movie, emir abreu, based on a real person. The infiltrator true story reveals that john leguizamos character, emir abreu is based on mazurs reallife partner. The actual subject matter corporate misdeeds may only appeal to teens, however, because it stars matt damon. Mark edward whitacre born may 1, 1957 is an american business executive who came to. Kurt eichenwald, a seasoned whitecollarcrime reporter for the new york times, opens his gripping book with a quote from pirandellos six characters in search of an author, the first clue.
Indeed, at the end of the movie he ends up in jail. Trial by fire, out may 17, is the opposite of a feelgood movie. It is based on a true story first described by journalist kurt eichenwald in his 2000 nonfiction book of the same title. The true story was the fbi had discovered through surveillance and informant tips that a young white kid named rick wershe was a frequent visitor to the home of. Based on a true story, mark tells his immediate boss that hes had a phone call from a japanese competitor who says theres a mole in the company infecting the lysine. Although the movie is sometimes played for laughs, the real story was no laughing matter. The movie is based on a true story and sends some mixed messages about corporate ethics. White boy rick whitewashes the real story of richard.
In the movie, the character of whitacre is portrayed as exhibiting bizarre behavior, including delusions, mania, and compulsively lying. Sep 29, 2017 the true story of barry seal, a twa pilot who became a drug smuggler and government informant, played by tom cruise in american made. Clint eastwoods controversial new film fictionalizes the true story of richard jewell. The real story of the infiltrator is still ongoing. The old adage that the best stories are true couldnt be better supported than by the real life experiences of mark whitacre played by matt damon in this movie, infamously known as the highestranking executive to ever become a whistle blower in us history. Gregory jacobs, jennifer fox, michael jaffe, howard.
From the director of oceans eleven, twelve and thirteen might tell you everything you need to know about the sales pitch for steven soderberghs the informant. A corporate culture cornfed on greed in steven soderbergh. I often find fiction films more inspiring than documentaries when it comes to structure, style and texture, and this is one example. The adm pricefixing case was a landmark in global antitrust. The infiltrator movie vs true story of robert mazur, emir abreu. Jul 12, 2016 the infiltrator is a true story, but its also a movie with a beginning, middle and an end. Mark, a top level executive at a fortune 500 company, became a whistleblower to a huge price fixing scandal in the early 1990s that led.
The websites critical consensus reads, the infiltrator s compelling factbased story and tremendously talented cast are often just enough to balance out its derivative narrative and occasionally clunky execution. Dec, 2019 clint eastwoods controversial new film fictionalizes the true story of richard jewell. The book is about a sixyear fbi investigation of an international pricefixing conspiracy by archer. American hustle true story real irving rosenfeld, mel. The true story of whitey bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of south boston, who became an fbi informant to. Gregory jacobs, jennifer fox, michael jaffe, howard braunstein, kurt eichenwald. Mark whitacre was the highestranking executive in u. The true story behind the movie american made time. In his 2000 book, the informant, kurt eichenwald, a former the new york. Mark whitacres largerthanlife role as an fbi mole is forever memorialized in the movie the informant. Sep 21, 2009 although not a blockbuster, the informant is an interesting, diverting film. Discover the full story behind his crime of passion in above suspicion.
Explore the american hustle true story via the related videos below. The informant is a true story about archer daniels midland adm and their alleged price fixing in a variety of agricultural markets. However, the true story behind the movie reveals that numerous other agents not shown or focused on in the film played key roles in operation cchase, as mazur pointed out in a facebook post. Maybe so in the case of the new movie true story, based on the real case of christian longo, accused murderer of his wife and three children. Hes bumbling, indiscreet, and grandiose at least in this take on his story. For the first time in 30 years, white boy ricks name was back in the headlines but this time, the real story was printed underneath. After all, whitacre isnt your average whistleblower. Kurt eichenwald talked about his book the informant. Burns, the film stars matt damon as the titular informant named mark whitacre, as well as scott bakula, joel mchale and melanie lynskey.
This is an amazing and hilarious true story, with whitacre being one of the most interesting leading men in a comedy in years. A corporate culture cornfed on greed in steven soderberghs. While this motion picture is based on real events, certain incidents and characters are. It guarantees postwatching reading material, as youre likely to scour wikipedia to read up about the true. In a stunning turn of events immediately following the covert portion of the case. The true story of whitey bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of south boston, who became an fbi informant to take down a mafia family invading his turf. He ended up with a prison sentence three times longer than any of the criminal executives he exposed. Matt damon stars as mark whitacre in a scene from, the informant the opening title card of the informant. What are the top spy movies that are based on a true story.
There are no hollywood endings to be found in this story of a grieving man, cameron todd willingham jack oconnell, sentenced to. The infiltrator is a true story, but its also a movie with a beginning, middle and an end. The disturbing story of the fbi agent who strangled his informant. The true story of barry seal, a twa pilot who became a drug smuggler and government informant, played by tom cruise in american made. The serious story behind the informant the informant opened in theaters on friday. Had he opted for a straightforward retelling, the informant. The basic story, that the large agribusiness archer daniels midland adm was caught in an international pricefixing scam for food additives would merit coverage in business week but little else. Sep 20, 2009 the serious story behind the informant the informant opened in theaters on friday. Matt damon, scott bakula, melanie lynskey, joel mchale. Aug 28, 2000 the informant is a true story about archer daniels midland adm and their alleged price fixing in a variety of agricultural markets. Based on the true story of the highestranking corporate whistleblower in u. I think this is the kind of story i would rather read a book about instead of seeing a movie on it. So its not exactly surprising that his latest movie.
After strangling his informantand pregnant lovermark putnam became the first active fbi agent convicted of murder. I see the caption references the infiltrator as a story of one man, but this man owes it to the entire cchase team for carrying him across the goal line. The informant, which opens friday, is based on a true story of the. Trial by fire true story cameron todd willingham death. Whitacre assisted the fbi in compiling hundreds of audio and video tapes, documenting adms price fixing this book was a tradeout between me and a friend. The informant sheds light on historic whistleblowers abc news. The story of the fbi agent who strangled his informant.