One of the most important movies of the 1990s, this tense, atmospheric drama examines how the world of journalism and corporate corruption can corrupt the soul. Director Michael Mann shrewdly cast young, potentially hunky Russell Crowe as the real-life Jeffrey Wigand, a Brown & Williamson tobacco scientist with knowledge that would decimate “big tobacco.” Wigand doesn’t look like anyone’s hero, and perhaps that’s the point—he’s an ordinary man caught up in extraordinary circumstances.

Throughout The Insider, the film builds suspense without resorting to typical thriller tropes: there are no car chases or sleazy sex scenes. Instead, it focuses on the moral imperatives that drive men and women to do what they believe is right. Outstanding performances by Crowe and Al Pacino—ranging from explosive passion to brooding introspection—support this riveting tale of a man against two greedy behemoths.

The film’s real-world locations add to its authentic feel: Washington, D.C. stands in for political and legal institutions, while Louisville, Kentucky, is the setting for Wigand’s home and workplace. In addition, Mann consulted with Wigand and other tobacco industry insiders to ensure the accuracy of the film’s depictions of events.

The ethereal music of composer Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke, known for his work on Gladiator, lends The Insider an atmosphere that makes it both an intellectual and emotionally charged watch. This is a movie that asks its audience to consider the line between loyalty and the pursuit of truth, and it has earned numerous critics’ awards and accolades.