The Informant Movie directed by Steven Soderbergh

The informant is an upcoming dark comedy thriller movie based on the true story of Mark Whitacre, former top executive at agribusiness company ADM who became the highest-level executive to turn whistleblower in U.S history. Director Steven Soderbergh is helming the project with Matt Damon in the lead role. The Informant movie should be released in September 2009.

We have below a first look at Matt Damon as Mark Whitacre in The Informant:
(Click on the picture to enlarge it.)

Plot:
"What was Mark Whitacre thinking? A rising star at agri-industry giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Whitacre suddenly turns whistleblower. Even as he exposes his company's multi-national price-fixing conspiracy to the FBI, Whitacre envisions himself being hailed as a hero of the common man and handed a promotion. But before all that can happen, the FBI needs evidence, so Whitacre eagerly agrees to wear a wire and carry a hidden tape recorder in his briefcase, imagining himself as a kind of de facto secret agent.

Unfortunately for the FBI, their lead witness hasn't been quite so forthcoming about helping himself to the corporate coffers. Whitacre's ever-changing account frustrates the agents and threatens the case against ADM as it becomes almost impossible to decipher what is real and what is the product of Whitacre's rambling imagination. Based on the true story of the highest-ranking corporate whistleblower in U.S. history." (Source: Coming Soon)

Cast:
- Matt Damon portrays a top Archer Daniels Midland executive, Mark Whitacre, who works as an informant for the FBI. Damon gained 20-30 pounds for the role in order to look like the doughy Whitacre.
- Scott Bakula as FBI agent Brian Shepard.
- Melanie Lynskey as Mark Whitacre's wife, Ginger.
- Thomas F. Wilson as Mark Cheviron.
- Joel McHale as FBI agent Robert Herndon.
- Allan Havey as FBI Supervisor Dean Paisley

The story of Mark Whitacre takes a new dimension when you learn that Whitacre was suffering of bipolar disorder. Here's a picture of the original Mark Whitacre (before the scandal and nowadays):
(Click on the picture to enlarge it.)
I'm confident that Matt Damon will deliver a remarkable performance in his role in The Informant.
:)