SPOILERS THROUGH: <br /><br />There is very little that I can add to many of the glowing reviews. I thought The Insider was incredible. Flawless from beginning to end. It's in the IMDb top 250 and small wonder. It was a superb movie.<br /><br />There are so many elements in this movie that are fascinating. The journalistic issues. The issues of whistle blowing and doing the right thing. In my view both the main characters are heroes. The fact that this is based on a true story makes it that much more fascinating.<br /><br />Pacino and Crowe both, in my opinion, gave flawless performances and both were excellent at drawing the viewer in(let me change that) SWEEPING the viewer in to their lives and the things they were fighting for. There are many movies that take on important issues but lack the ability to keep the movie interesting. That's not the case here as the movie literally simmers from start to finish and through the last hour or so, I don't think I moved. That's the type of film this is and it is absolutely outstanding.<br /><br />This was one of the best roles I've seen Al Pacino in and though I have not seen a lot of Crowe's work, he is wonderful here and well cast.The supporting cast was wonderful too. There have been so many movies made about deception and dishonesty, it's nice to see a movie where the main characters are courageous and heroic. The Insider is all at once absorbing, disturbing, thought provoking and triumphant. In other words, it's everything a good movie should be. <br /><br />This is a long movie but the time goes very quickly and it's not the type of movie that could have been any shorter. (It actually could have been even longer.) Everything from the acting to the camera work(some of it quite unusual) to the story itself is top notch and this is an example of a great film and that rare movie that myself and my film going friends can actually agree on. My vote is 10 of 10.