Steven Soderbergh and his cinematographic alter ego Peter Andrews seem to be moving at an extremely fast clip these days shuffling from one project to another with lighting proficiency. Lately Soderbergh’s almost on par with Clint Eastwood or Woody Allen, cranking out two films a year. We’re happy to see him churn out as many films as possible, as long as they’re as exciting and refreshing as “Che” or retain the two-a-year potency of “Traffic” and “Erin Brokovich.”
For his next title, Soderbergh has finished shooting a dark comedic thriller called “The Informant,” which is based on a nonfiction book of the same title by Kurt Eichenwald and is currently in post-production with a September 18, 2009 release date.
The film stars Matt Damon, sporting a stache, pot belly, and way too many cheesy Hawaiian T-shirts. Damon plays Mark Whitacre, a high ranking executive of Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) who worked as an FBI informant to reveal a Lysine (animal feed additive) price fixing scheme in the mid 1990’s. The only problem is that Whitacre was busy working both sides of the fence as he was eventually discovered to be embezzling money from ADM and was convicted of fraud in the price-fixing case. Whitacre spent eight years in prison as a result.
Of course Damon playing a man with bipolar disorder and a double identity seems like a perfect fit considering his past roles as Tom Ripley and Jason Bourne. The only question is how will they get him back into shape for the next Bourne project.
“This American Life” did an episode devoted to the true story back in 2004, listen to it here. Other cast members include Scott Bakula, Joel McHale and Melanie Lynskey. Plot Summary courtesy of Warner Brothers:
What was Mark Whitacre thinking? A rising star at agri-industry giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Whitacre suddenly turns whistleblower. Even as he exposes his company’s multi-national price-fixing conspiracy to the FBI, Whitacre envisions himself being hailed as a hero of the common man and handed a promotion. But before all that can happen, the FBI needs evidence, so Whitacre eagerly agrees to wear a wire and carry a hidden tape recorder in his briefcase, imagining himself as a kind of de facto secret agent. Unfortunately for the FBI, their lead witness hasn’t been quite so forthcoming about helping himself to the corporate coffers. Whitacre’s ever-changing account frustrates the agents and threatens the case against ADM as it becomes almost impossible to decipher what is real and what is the product of Whitacre’s rambling imagination. Based on the true story of the highest-ranking corporate whistleblower in U.S. history.
Oscar bait for 2009? Let’s hope so.
