When Michael Mann's "The Insider" was released in 1999, he was fresh off the impressive commercial success of "Heat," which had also cemented him as a solid directorial talent. "The Insider" is a fictionalized account of a true story — namely, Marie Brenner's 1997 Vanity Fair article that examines tobacco industry whistleblower Jeffrey Wigand's controversial segment on CBS' "60 Minutes." Working closely with screenwriter Eric Roth, Mann wove together an electrifying tale about an enraged industry insider who helps expose the darkest corners of corporate America.

While Al Pacino takes on the mantle of CBS producer Lowell Bergman, Wigand is played by Russell Crowe (whose breakthrough role was in 1997's noir hit, "L.A. Confidential") . Crowe's layered performance is the beating heart of

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