Sure, The Informant! boasts an Oscar-winning director, lauded writers and a top-notch supporting cast, but its success lies squarely on the shoulders of its star, Matt Damon. He completely transforms into Mark Whitacre, an executive at ADM, a rural Illinois Fortune 500 agri-business. When Whitacre confesses to the FBI that he and other execs are involved in a global price-fixing scheme, he assumes the role of government mole, enthusiastically sharing otherwise confidential information. Cheap ties, a bushy moustache and a hefty gut replace the sleek duds, cropped ‘do and chiseled physique so customary for Damon. The actor also immerses himself in Whitacre’s confused psyche, shedding another layer as his innumerable lies slowly unravel.
The supporting cast provides more than able backup for Damon's stellar performance. As the duo of FBI agents assigned to work most closely with Whitacre, Star Trek alum Scott Bakula and The Soup’s Joel McHale are hilariously conflicted, unsure of whether to put faith in their charge’s diminishing credibility or follow the lead of their superiors. Soderbergh captures the feel of a Midwestern small town circa the early '90s perfectly, and Scott Burns’ screenplay leaves the audience guessing until the final frame.
