The Informant!

Drew's Thoughts:
Though I once had an aquaintance earnestly, and without a trace of irony, assert that Ocean's 11 is Steven Soderbergh's masterpiece and his immortalizing entry into the cinematic history books, I think it's safe to say The Informant! is Steven Soderbergh's best movie since Erin Brockovich and really his best movie period (though I haven't yet seen Out of Sight or The Limey.)
Sporting a hairpiece and a bitchin' mustache, Matt Damon's performance as Mark Whitacre (his best as well) is the bedrock on which the film is built. Damon is a talented actor but takes too many straight man roles in my opinion, but here given plenty of freedom with this character he goes for broke. He plays a total moron but a believable moron. He garners the audience's sympathy and its scorn in all the right places.
Soderbergh, under his cinematographer alter-ego Peter Andrews, bathes the film in the amazing glow of a early 90s occupational training video, situating the film and the characters' mentalities permanately in that epoch in history. Scott Z. Burns's screenplay, adapted from Kurt Eichenwald's book from which the film takes its name, introduces the film with a titlecard stating that what happens in the film is mainly true. Similar to Fargo, how I understand it is that the events are true but the filmmakers give themselves plenty of room to create the characters though they're based on real people. That was definitely a smart choice as Mark Whitacre's idiot/savant buffoonery would come off as purely incomprehensible if played with a strictly serious tone. Whitacre's character arc is really unexpected but well-written, eliciting the gamut of emotion from the audience towards Whitacre.
It was another wise move of Soderbergh's to surround Damon with various character actors whose faces you'll recognize but whose names you will probably not know. Tony Hale (Arrested Development) is particularly great in a brief role.
It's not nearly good enough to be among the five best of the year but it looks solid on Best Actor and Adapted Screenplay noms.

Colleen's Thoughts:
My one word review of this movie is “mediocre.” However, having now spoken my peace, I will say that it had some rather interesting less mediocre aspects to it. As Drew pointed out Matt Damon really carries this movie but he is nowhere near someone like say P.S. Hoffman. Also, the cinematography and set design really do a lot for the mood and atmosphere of the film. I think Melanie Lynskey who portrays Ginger Whitacre has a good shot at getting a supporting actress nom at the Colleen’s. All an all an enjoyable film but nothing too memorable.