DVD Corner

The Informant! 4K UHD Review

“The Informant!” is a wild, but uneven true story based film.

Based on the non-fiction book by Kurt Eichenwald and adapted for the screen by Scott Z. Burns, 2009’s “The Informant!” revolves around the life of Mark Whitacre from 1992 to 2006. In 1992, we find husband and father Mark working for the ADM company in Illinois. He speaks to the FBI and acts as a whistleblower to speak out about price fixing. In order to prove this, he begins wearing a wire and recording countless hours of the company’s illegal activities. During this process, however, the shocking truth about Mark comes to light. It seems that has been conducting his own crimes and has embezzled millions from ADM. Moreover, he has been plotting to take down his competitors in order to move up the ladder at ADM. It soon becomes clear that it’s hard to trust a single word Mark says and that he may in fact be mentally unwell.

Filmmaker Steven Soderbergh is no stranger to tackling different genres, and with “The Informant!”, he creates a crime comedy-drama based on real events. At the time of its release, the film really stuck out to me. Taking a comedic approach to a baffling true story about corporate crimes was a curious and fresh move and it gave this outrageous story even more zip. Revisiting the film 16 years later though, there’s something a bit off about the approach. Yes, there’s something inherently darkly amusing here as it’s the type of real life story that is so bonkers that you can’t believe it’s true, but the film’s depiction of mental illness doesn’t quite sit well. Mark’s diagnosis as bipolar is largely sidestepped and the film doesn’t accurately display his mental health struggles. It’s clear that Mark is not well with his compulsive lies, inability to stop speaking out about things he shouldn’t, and spiraling behavior and the story at times plays certain moments for laughs. The character’s weird inner thoughts (told via voice over) about “The Firm,” indoor pools, people he encounters and so forth also have a comedic edge. In retrospect, perhaps the tonal choices really don’t pan out like they should especially when Mark ultimately turns out to be a tragic figure.

Matt Damon is the central star here and he’s great in the role. He really disappears into this complex and personable part and shows his versatility as an actor. It’s often hard to believe this is the same man who played Jason Bourne. The supporting cast is also excellent with the likes of Scott Bakula, Clancy Brown, and Melanie Lynskey. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the cast is just how many stand-up comedians appear here such as Tom Wilson, Joel McHale, Patton Oswalt, Tom Papa, Scott Adsit, Tony Hale, etc. Just goes to show just how much Soderbergh wanted to lean in to that comedy aspect (even though much of their roles wasn’t comedy heavy).

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.78:1 2160p. How does it look? This is actually quite a stunning 4K transfer (especially for a catalogue title). The picture quality is noticeably sharper looking than past releases. 

Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? From the voice overs to the jazzy score by Marvin Hamlisch, this is a crisp 5.1 track.

Extras include a theatrical trailer, a commentary by Steven Soderbergh and 4 deleted scenes.

April 30, 2025 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | Matt Damon, Steven Soderbergh, The Informant! 4K UHD Review, True Story