The Informant! is a 2009 dark comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh and stars Matt Damon as Mark Whitacre. The film is loosely based on a true story about an executive at ADM who helps the FBI uncover a price-fixing conspiracy in the early 1990s.
Whitacre, who is portrayed as an ambitious but naive businessman, initially agrees to assist the FBI in order to get a promotion and win favor with his superiors at ADM. He wears a wire and records hundreds of meetings with his colleagues, providing the government with valuable evidence of the company's illegal activity.
However, as the investigation continues, Whitacre's behavior becomes increasingly erratic and unpredictable. He fabricates stories, invents imaginary threats to his life, and even embezzles millions of dollars from his own company. The FBI begins to suspect that Whitacre may not be entirely trustworthy, and the lines between ally and adversary become blurred.
As the investigation reaches its climax, Whitacre's lies and delusions are revealed, and he is ultimately sentenced to a lengthy prison term. The film ends with a montage of real-life news footage and interviews, highlighting the wider implications of ADM's price-fixing scheme and the ongoing debate over corporate accountability and ethical behavior in the business world.