The Informant! • Member Bonus

Corporate wrongdoing and whistleblowing collide in a maze of unreliable perspectives and shifting loyalties. The Informant! (2009), directed by Steven Soderbergh, stars Matt Damon in an against-type performance alongside Scott Bakula and Melanie Lynskey in this darkly comedic take on true events. Based on Kurt Eichenwald’s book about real corporate malfeasance at agricultural processing giant ADM in the 1990s, the film showcases Soderbergh’s experimental approach to tone and narrative. When a high-level executive begins working with the FBI on a price-fixing investigation, his scattered thoughts and surprising choices create mounting pressure. Join us—Pete Wright and Andy Nelson—as we kick off our True Lies series with this member bonus episode conversation about The Informant!.

Soderbergh employs innovative voiceover techniques to bring viewers into his protagonist’s headspace, using sound design that lets internal monologues override actual conversations. This creates a fascinating tension between what’s happening and what’s being processed.

The legendary composer delivers a score that skillfully walks the line between comedy and corporate drama, using 1960s spy movie touches and playful motifs that somehow work perfectly with the material’s serious undertones.

Damon transforms his natural charm into something more complex and unsettling, while Soderbergh’s inspired choice to cast known comedic actors in straight dramatic roles adds subtle layers to the film’s careful tonal balance.

Pete and Andy wrestle with how Soderbergh maintains such precise control over the film’s complex tone while keeping audiences slightly removed from its central character. Their deep dive into the film’s technical craft and psychological layers reveals why this unique corporate drama stands apart from conventional whistleblower stories. We have a great time talking about it, so check it out then tune in. The Next Reel—when the movie ends, our conversation begins!