The Informer Movie Review

The Informer (2019)

Rent The Informer on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Matt Cook and Rowan Joffe and Andrea Di Stefano (screenplay by), Börge Hellström & Anders Roslund (novel)
Directed by: Andrea Di Stefano
Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Rosamund Pike, Common, Ana de Armas, Clive Owen
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
An ex-convict working undercover intentionally gets himself incarcerated again in order to infiltrate the mob at a maximum security prison.

Verdict
This movie is intense from beginning to end. That's inherent with undercover movies as any misstep could be fatal. This movie is no exception, but a sharp story that remains captivating sets this apart. This is much better than I expected. I was hoping for competent, and I got excellent. This movie does everything really well. In addition to the main story, this touches on how federal law enforcement uses and abuses their informers, content to endanger lives because the ends justify the means. This is entertaining throughout providing more than a few things to think about after the conclusion.
Watch it.

Review
This was originally going to be released in 2018 before multiple delays pushed it to 2020. Delays always make me question the quality and if the release date is being shuffled around to minimize loss. It turns out the distributor Aviron had a few court cases that prompted the delay.

I love the crime drama genre of movies. The plot alone is what piqued my interest and this movie delivers way more than I expected. This reminds a bit of Dragged Across Concrete, just in how intense it is and being a crime drama. Both are great movies.

Joel Kinnaman plays Koslow.

This starts with little introduction. Koslow (Joel Kinnaman) is sewing a microphone into his pants waistband. The story doesn't need much introduction and soon a drug buy turns into a much more serious situation.

Koslow works for the feds, and from the beginning it's clear they see themselves as blameless. Wilcox (Rosamund Pike) blames Koslow for the sideways drug deal, when the alternative would be him blowing his cover. The feds were going to blame him either way. Koslow is an ex-con and the feds use that to exploit him. Everything he's done doesn't matter if they can't make a case. They can move the goal posts because it suits them. Koslow has no recourse. He's a tool they will throw away when they're done. The feds have no empathy when they make him break his parole and return to prison to try and make a case. They would use him indefinitely if given the chance. He and his family are collateral damage.

With an undercover movie the tension is ever present. One slip and that can be the end. From the start Koslow has multiple people after him and he's doing whatever he can to survive. I like how this movie plays with keeping his cover. When it's life or death you put your cards on the table. Koslow gets out of one situation, only to be burned by the feds. because it's convenient. It's not exactly corruption, it's immorality. Montgomery (Clive Owen), the fed in charge of this case, doesn't value Koslow's life. When Wilcox protests, Montgomery threatens her with jail time. The feds don't just burn him, they want him and his family dead.

Ana de Armas plays Sofia.

This movie feels quick because it's intense since the beginning and doesn't let up. Once his cover was blown I wasn't sure what he'd do or how he would survive. We see a plan formulating, but it's difficult to tell how all the pieces will fall into place until he enacts the plan. It's a much smarter ruse than the typical movie. The last quarter of the movie is wild fun.

I like the plot a lot, but the story details make this even better. In addition this includes the angle about how the feds treat informers, people literally risking their lives. The feds will kill men, women, and children if it helps them further their goals and make a case. Wilcox didn't want to blow Koslow's cover, but if she doesn't fall in line her career gets ruined. The fact that Koslow's wife Sofia and daughter would be in danger didn't matter as much when here career is put on the line. Montgomery does all of this to avoid bad press.

This is open ended. I don't mind it, I'm just glad this didn't have a happy ending. There's a hint that a happy conclusion might one day be possible, but Koslow would have to rely on law enforcement for that which has the movie has proven isn't always a good bet.