The Informant! (2009)

Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Written by Scott Z. Burns, based on the book by Kurt Eichenwald
Starring Matt Damon, Scott Bakula, Joel McHale and Melanie Lynskey

The U.S. government decides to go after an agro-business giant with a price-fixing accusation, based on the evidence submitted by their star witness, vice president-turned-informant Mark Whitacre.

In true Soderbergh fashion, the hard working directed created a film that transcends his own style with this crime dramedy of Corporate greed and corruption. Based on a true story, Matt Damon plays the worlds worst whistle blower who can't seem to keep his mouth shut or his hands in his own pockets in this quirky, period piece.

Matt Damon is superb as an everyman who gets in over his head. The nuances that he brings to his character add so much comedic value that much of it goes unnoticed. With a supporting cast of award-winners and stand-up comedians, there is no doubt in my mind that this film has one of the most diverse casts in recent memory (talent wise… most, if not all of them are white…. but that's for another day).

The last of five films that Soderbergh directed in a three year stretch between 2007 and 2009, it is amazing that he can direct so many films with such consistency. This movie, like most, isn't life changing. But it is worth a watch. It feels like an earlier Coen Brother's movie.

My Rating: 6.5/10

The Salton Sea (2002)

Directed by D.J. Caruso
Written by Tony Gayton
Starring Val Kilmer, Vincent D'Onofrio, Doug Hutchison and Peter Sarsgaard

After his wife is murdered, a man drifts into a world populated by thugs and speed junkies. He struggles to identify with both his past life and his new one, where danger lurks at every corner.

A perfect combination with equal parts Scorsese, Guy Ritchie, western and classic noir films, "The Salton Sea" is a dark thriller filled with great performances and writing. It perfectly captures the feel of those classic private detective movies, flipping it around and telling it from a junky/informant's perspective.

The most notable performance in this movie is hands down Vincent D'Onofrio as "Pooh-Bear". One thing that he continually proves is his ability to be intimidating and comedic simultaneously. As the nose-less, drug cooking murderer, he casts a shadow of unease and commands the screen with every scene. And just when you think he's going to go completely dark, he'll do something that changes the mode of the scene on a dime.

One thing that I couldn't take seriously was the relationship between Val Kilmer and Peter Sarsgaard's character. It reminded me much of the Frodo/Sam relationship from "The Lord of the Rings". There was this unintentional "will they, won't they" tension throughout. Somewhat ending with the Frodo character being surrounded the fiery death of Mordor.

"I'm your Sam!"

Overall, this was a decent, enjoyable movie. It's not without it's faults, but few movies are. But the noir-style writing, filming and editing of this film make it a unique modernization of a once lost genre. In that sense, it is a beautiful homage to an entire decade of cinema.

My Rating: 7/10

In the Name of the Father (1993)

Directed by Jim Sheridan
Written by Terry George and Jim Sheridan, based on the book by Gerry Conlon
Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Pete Postlethwaite, Emma Thompson and John Lynch

In the midst of the IRA terrorist attacks in London, an Irish man named Gerry Conlon, along with ten other Irish citizens are convicted of crimes they did not commit. Sentenced between 4 years to life for their various convictions, the eleven innocent Irish men, women and children all served their sentences while maintaining their innocence. Until fifteen years later, when an English lawyer discovers a Police cover-up.

An infuriatingly true story of corruption and government conspiracy and the prejudice of all Irish citizens in England during the 1970s, "In the Name of the Father" shows just how easy it is for a police force to lie and affect innocent lives in order to get the illusion of results. In a so-called "Democracy", where the government is there to protect their citizens, they create a veil of lies and destroy the lives of eleven people.

It's a film that will make you think and ask just how accurate our judicial system is today. The truly terrifying thing in this case is that no police officers or detectives were ever charged for their crimes. The government protects it's own despite the cruel and unjust actions they are guilty of.

I'm no lawyer, but I'm pretty sure that this constitutes as a mistrial…

only unfortunately for Guiseppe Conlon, it was after he had died.

This is the kind of movie that will make you angry while you watch it. You won't believe you are hearing what you're hearing and you find it even harder to believe that the antagonist succeeds, thus creating a two-hour and fifteen-minute movie instead of a forty-minute, anti-climactic one.

As usual with Day-Lewis, his acting is on point. And being from Ireland himself, I'm sure this story hit close to home for him. With every movie I see him in, new or old, I am amazed at just how good of an actor he is. He is recognizable, yet has a tendency to disappear in his characters. Remarkable.

My Rating: 8/10