The Informant! ****

A dark comedy about corporate and personal greed and the unstable highest-ranking whistle-blower in U.S. corporate history, "The Informant!" presents the true story of Mark Whitacre, vice president of Archer Daniels Midlands corporation (Matt Damon), and FBI Special Agent Brian Shepard (Scott Bakula), who handled him for three years. The video and audio tapes that Whitacre provided was the basis for a raid on ADM, but the story is not so simple as it might appear at first. Just what Whitacre was doing, and for how long, slowly comes to light, as his own delusions and deceptions run his life off the rails.

Director/Cinematographer Steven Soderberg tells this 90's story in a 50's style, with saturated colors and earnest delivery. It's a story told from an ironical distance, and if we start to take anything at face value, the almost mocking, cliche-ridden score by Marvin Hamlisch reminds us that appearances are not to be trusted. It's a well-told tale, expertly edited by Stephen Mirrione.

Matt Damon, who gained considerable weight to resemble the doughy Whitacre, gives an arresting and hilarious portrayal of the conscience-free Whitacre, constantly adapting his story and aggrandizing himself. Melanie Lynskey, in a memorable turn as Whitacre's wife Ginger, keeps us guessing. Is she his conscience? His accomplice? His dupe? But the cleanest, most emotional yet contained performance comes from Scott Bakula.

I liked "The Informant!" for its wit, its style, its humor, its performances, and the sure hand of director Soderberg. See it.

Rated R (for language). 108 minutes. Steven Soderbergh - Director, Scott Z. Burns - Writer (screenplay), Kurt Eichenwald - Writer (book) / Producer, Howard Braunstein - Producer, Jennifer Fox - Producer, Gregory Jacobs - Producer, Michael Jaffe - Producer, Peter Andrews (Soderberg's alias) - Cinematographer, Marvin Hamlisch - Composer, Doug J. Meerdink - Production Designer, Stephen Mirrione - Editor. Produced and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Principal actors: Matt Damon, Scott Bakula, Melanie Lynskey, and Joel McHale.