The Informer (2019) User Reviews

Strong crime thriller / drama

[jeff-1794 · 8/10 · 1 September 2019]

If you go into this expecting a $100 million action blockbuster you will be dissapointed. What this film delivers is a solid crime drama with some gritty and tense action scenes. A strong lead performance by Joel Kinnaman holds the story together and the film moves swiftly at a pace that never drags. If you want a film that gives you actual story over mindless hollywood CGI action, then give this one a chance.

Really strong narrative with some weak elements, which did not detract from my 'viewing experience.'

[therskybznuiss · 8/10 · 1 June 2021]

First of all, I must say, that this movie, a B-movie, with AAA elements, with some expertise takes us as the viewer and drops us into an already well-developed story which has obviously been on-going since well-before we are introduced to Joel' character. It is done quite well as we are dropped into this plot right at a watershed moment as the FBI manipulate and connive their way into complete control with a very realistic, not just lack of care, but straight malcontent for our hero's safety. That's all I will say of the plot, other than how I really admired how each character we are introduced to feel just as well thought out as our main character and how even a character we see only for -45 seconds does, says or even implies something which is crucial in developing the whole story.

This movie reminds me of one of old where it's focus is singular and therefore much stronger in delivering a few, simple messages or invoking a few complex emotion's and I really cared about our hero, his family and even felt compassion for one of the main villains by the end.

I dont know why the pro-review world bombed this so hard. Are they uncomfterble with this movie's (true) statements on the twistedness of law-enforcement corruption which has only evolved terribly into something more undetectable and probably more damaging than that of old?

I don't know, but for a dark movie, released in a crap year with some strong and noble statements, I was quite impressed. And a few weak-performances from one of the cop's (mostly at the beginning) didn''t end up detracting from my enjoyment and I ended up quite enjoying this flick.

I loved this most critics disliked it.

[ib011f9545i · 8/10 · 4 September 2019]

If I had read the critics I would have ignored this film.

I read a good review in The Sunday Express and went to see the film and liked it a lot.

I will give no plot spoilers but if you like tough but not dumb crime films you will like this one. It does not have the biggest budget or the biggest action sequences but it is a good film.

The plot is fine but the film also benefits from good locations and a talented cast.

See this if you get the chance I think you will be glad you did.

Good Story and Suspenseful Ending

[DoNotComeToTheCinemaDepressed · 7/10 · 16 May 2020]

I was Surprised by how good this was. It doesn't feel like anything particularly special but it was a good watch.

Great Scene with the police surrounding the Building.

Not pleasant but gripping, you can't look away.

[TxMike · 27 February 2021]

I came across this movie on Amazon streaming, my wife looked at the trailer and chose to skip. It isn't a pleasant, happy movie. It involves characters who are Polish drug smugglers, later characters who are hardened criminals in a large prison. Though it is fiction it all seems very real and very dangerous.

All the actors are fine in their roles, there are crosses and double crosses but in the end there is hope for the "informer" and his young family.

Very well made movie for its genre.

Great crime thriller

[koenbeerens-15188 · 7/10 · 24 April 2020]

Not perfect, but great movie overall. If at the end you have the feeling you're only 45 mins in, the movie did what it was supposed to do.

I could whine about some details not so plausible, but they never break the story. So great work for the whole crew.

Enjoyable thriller

[masonsaul · 7/10 · 4 September 2019]

The Informer is an enjoyable and well made thriller, despite the generic plot and some predictable moments. Joel Kinnaman gives a great lead performance with good supporting performances from Common, Rosamund Pike, Clive Owen and Ana de Armas. It's also well paced with an intense fight scene and tense gunfight in the third act.

Thumbs up

[seanroger-82963 · 7/10 · 8 August 2020]

I didn't know what to expect with this movie as I had no previous exposure to it or even it's trailer. I saw the cast and there was enough familiar actors to get my attention. I think the movie was mostly realistic and believable. The acting was good from most.

Our Man on the Inside

[lavatch · 7/10 · 7 February 2022]

"I'm a snitch," proclaims the protagonist, Pete Koslow, as he is struggling to save his life after willingly going to prison at the insistence of the feds to break up a drug ring.

As a result of almost everyone he encounters, Pete is betrayed as he looks for a way out of the Kafkaesque situation in which he is trapped. The former vet yearns to live with his loving wife Sofia and their daughter Anna. But he is at odds with both the Polish drug cartel run by the oily "General" and the FBI led by the corrupt and especially loathsome Keith Montgomery.

A star-studded cast with Clive Owen as Montgomery, Rosamund Pike as Agent Wilcox, Anna de Armas as Sofia, and Common as Detective Grens complement the work of Joel Kinnaman as Pete Koslow. It is only the street smart New York detective who sizes up the total picture and becomes a genuine ally of Koslow.

There was some good footage of New York and an especially gruesome prison environment. Koslow's escape plan is both daring and inventive. The direction from Andrea Di Stefano was crisp. It was only disappointing that there was no closure on the capture of the General and end of his drug dealing days. Perhaps the filmmakers had that component of the action in mind for a sequel.

One of the best B-grade films I've seen!

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 9/10 · 25 December 2019]

I've never heard of this film, nor seen any trailers, so I wasn't expecting much and decided to give it a go since there wasn't anything I haven't already seen to watch. Well, wow!

I'm shocked at some of the negative reviews so far. It goes to show you that you can't please everyone. It's either too Hollywood-ish or not Hollywood enough lol.

Here's why I REALLY liked it; For starters, this is actor Andrea Di Stefano second ever attempt at directing and writing, and compared to some of the films that have come out lately - and from seasoned writer and directors, he nailed it. Was it flawless? No. But considering is wasn't a big budget Hollywood production with seasoned filmmakers and with all lead cast being A-listers, but instead a British-made B-grade film with newb filmmakers, this was produced exceptionally well and is a winner imo.

I found the story very realistic and un-Hollywood-ish, which is refreshing for a change. Sure this story has been done many times before, but this one felt authentic. The last time I saw this type of genre movie that surprised and impressed me, was Shot Caller.

Casting was perfect, with all leads playing their respective roles on point, especially Joel Kinnaman who nailed his character.

Cinematography was great, the score/sound was fitting, and the production/location sets authentic. My only critique would be the pacing needed picking up in some parts, and/or the 113 min run-time trimmed down at least 10-15 mins.

Aside from that, this was one of the best B-grade films I've seen, with its unpredictable plot turn at every corner, excellent central performances, all packaged really well by an newbie filmmaker. It's a solid 9/10 from me!

To see any of my 1000+ ratings and 700+ reviews, click on my username.

Good film let down by an obvious and weak ending.

[coombsstephen · 6/10 · 5 September 2019]

If you have seen the trailer this film does what it says on the tin. It is a decent cop/bad guy film that is a little different in its storyline.

The film rattles along a decent pace and has some good scenes. There is some quite good suspense and action along the way as well.

Where the film is let down is the ending is just so clear, aside from a tiny twist, from about half way through the film and even then, when it happens it's quite a damp squib. There are also parts of the story that just don't stack up, which is a shame as it has good potential.

Good old fashioned crime drama

[mats_westerberg · 9/10 · 22 February 2020]

If you're born in the seventies and miss how movies used to be like, you'll like this one.

Made better by Kinnaman ... it makes up for all the cliched ordinariness

[stevojaxon · 7/10 · 26 December 2019]

Reformed man loves his family; goes straight; betrayed by the system designed to protect us; reformed man is triumphant and the bad system man is punished. The end. Unfortunately this is a common theme coming out of the grinder of movie production. In this story, FBI man betrays bad man who is trying to do the right thing by his family. Nasty FBI man, shame on you. Fortunately nice FBI lady has a conscience and gets it sorted. I like anything with Kinnaman because it can mask a weak story or a poor production. Not that this film suffers from either, it's just that he is a good actor and hypnotizes me into believing I have seen a good movie or have even enjoyed it. So I enjoyed this flick even if I can't remember what it was about because it starred the Kinnaman.

Terrible script that has absurd ending - acting good but waste of time

[trav123 · 5/10 · 27 December 2019]

This movie is a prime example of a terrible script screwing up a film. The acting is good and the directing okay but the story is so bad that you stop believing in the horrible plot, and they add a terrible finale that suspends any chance of belief that you just laugh and smirk that anyone thought this was a good idea of a story line. Plus the ending is so preposterous it feels like it is a tv series with a part 2 To be Continued. As if this piece of crap would have a sequel.... A 5 for the acting

OUTSTANDING CRIME THRILLER WITH AN OUTSTANDING JOEL KINNAMAN

[lukem-52760 · 6/10 · 20 January 2020]

WOW!!! what an intense & gripping Crime Thriller "The Informer" is & i was totally engrossed by it's realism & suspenseful story!!!

Now i have to say how I'm a huge fan of the excellent "Joel Kinnaman" to me he's the absolute best of the "New" wave of actors out there, he's the absolute best of the bunch by that he's better than Ryan Reynolds, Chris Pine, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pratt, Chris Evans, Stephen Amell, Ryan Gosling & many more, this guy Kinnaman is one intense & fantastic actor & i loved him in the underrated but excellent "Suicide Squad" & the fantastic "Run All Night" & even as the new "Robocop" i love his work & he is a "Movie Star" with an intense presence on screen. Here the excellent Kinnaman plays an ex-con named "Pete Koslow" who has to help the FBI put away a polish Druglord but he gets into a hell of a lot of danger when an undercover Cop gets killed & he has to go back to prison, that's a little bit of the big complex story, just watch the incredible performances from Kinnaman, Common & Roseamund Pike, all give it their all in this gritty & incredibly intense Crime Thriller, there's Corruption here & a harsh reality to this movie, it's totally believable & you really feel for Kinnaman as Pete as he has a wife & a little girl, so the stakes are high here & the drama is engulfing. Kinnaman & Rapper turned excellent Actor, Common both also starred together in the Liam Neeson Crime Thriller Run All Night, also an incredible film.

The informer

[rnixon-15663 · 7/10 · 5 September 2019]

The informer 2019 15 director: Andrea De stefano starring: Joel Kinnamon,Rosamund pike,Ana de armas,Common,Clive own etc

overall rating 73/100

When ex convict Pete coslow gets involved with a shooting of a NYPD cop. He has to go back to prison in order to stop a drug gang from getting away with there crimes. But the lifes of his wife and child is at risk and its up to officer wilcox ( rosamund pike) to help him be reunited with his family. The informer was a good thriller but a flawed film, but still thoroughly entertaining lets get into why this is.

First of all the film did a fantastic job of delivering an incredibly tense tone. The film did a fantastic job with keeping you on the edge of your seat. in fact i think this is up there with the most tense and unsettling films of the year in my opinion. The film just put the audience through so many uncomfortable situations. and with the lack of soundtrack it really helped with the authenticity of the film. Whether it was being attacked in the prison or in my opinion the most uncomfortable scene when the main characters wife and child was being gagged and threatened. Also the violence and gore helped with the entertainment value of the film. But also added to the tense tone and impact of each scene with a heads up some very gory things that were borderline 18 rating in my opinion.

however my first issue is the slow pacing in the first half of the film. In my opinion the first half of the film was very slow and made me lose interest a few times. There was just a lot of filler conversations and standing around that left me needing something to spice the film up and make it more entertaining. But luckily they more then redeemed themselves in the second half of the film where it had a absolutely fantastic final act. They really went all out in the last half of the film to make you care about all of the characters and to keep you on the edge of your seat. With all the action was non stop within the last 30/45 minutes of the film so this more then made up for the first half of the film.

Next i think the informer had a good amount of emotional weight to it. The fact that Joel Kinnamons character. Just wanted to get to his family and the love he showed them really made his character more respected in my opinion. And you related to him a bit more because most people are close to there families so being away from them is hard so everyone could passively relate to his emotional state with his wife and kid.

Next i think they really portrayed the harsh reality of prison life really well. A lot of films with prisons in can be very tame with what they show maybe due to the age rating but this film. Showed the types of people the horrible conditions that prisoners rightly have to go through so this was just a nice touch to see. However i do have to say that the film was very stereotypical with what type if inhabitants take up prisons. I think having a lot of the prisoners black and to have it split by colour is fairly old fashioned and they should of picked a more diverse group of people.

Now my final two positives would be the fantastic acting was Joel Kinnamon and Rosamund pike. Rosamund pike was fantastic in the cop role. She was clever and did not take no for a answer whilst also having a kind heart and a nag for doing the right thing. And joel Kinnamon showed great diversity in the film. His character had a great blend of intimidation,vulnerability and perseverance and despite maybe not agreeing with some of his actions largely he was a character that you could support.

However i do have to end on my final two negatives. First of all there was next to no character development or depth to most of the characters. Most of the characters were very one dimensional. And Petes wife did next to nothing in the film apart from being Petes motivation she was just a damsel in distress which was a shame considering the films of today with strong female characters. And finally there was some incredibly dislikable characters. Some of joels workmates who killed policemen and threatened his wife and kid were just sick and really made you not like there characters. I know this was the goal but for whatever reason something was off about some of the characters that really made you question the reasoning for them being there in the script.

Overall the informer is a thoroughly entertaining and tense thriller with excellent acting. But is narratively flawed and could used with more developed and likeable characters.

started quite well.....

[sala151183 · 6/10 · 31 August 2019]

Ok so it started quite well but it's soon took a dip. The film had promise to be a good solid crime/drama however it started to complicated itself with too much material. With having said all this I think go and judge it for yourself. The best critic is yourself. Had moments but couldn't sustain it

Excellent casting makes this

[RageQuitLeigh · 7/10 · 17 January 2022]

The Informer follows Pete Koslow a convict that had been serving time until he agreed to be an informant for the FBI. In this position he is helping build a case against the head of a Polish drug gang in exchange to be a free man. We join the protagonist during an operation to gain valuable evidence however the situation changes, problems arise and stakes for Koslow escalate.

The story is fairly straight forward and familiar, however it is the exceptional casting (and therefore acting) that takes this typical B-movie type offering to be a genuinely decent watch. Joel Kinnaman in the lead role whilst being fairly limited, does what he does very well as the gritty troubled and down on his luck Koslow. This is complemented by the always brilliant Rosamund Pike as the conflicted FBI agent. Common, Ana de Armas and Clive Owen bring excellent performances and interest to lesser characters that typically would have been overlooked when casting, especially the wife.

The Informer is unlikely to be a movie you'll remember much of in a few months, but is well worth a watch and will keep you entertained for the run time..

Nice low budget crime thriller

[craigh86-197-126469 · 7/10 · 8 October 2021]

Good low budget crime thriller. Decent story & the characters are believable. Not your typical Holywood film so don't expect too much.

Intense

[westsideschl · 9/10 · 30 March 2021]

A quite realistic, intense suspenseful crime script. Well, acted. Solid real world foundation with unexpected twists. None of the usual cheap fillers of unrealistic shoot outs & fight scenes.

COME ON LADS, LETS CUT AWAY THE BEST PARTS....

[ops-52535 · 7/10 · 23 December 2019]

Seems to be my immediate reaction ater viewing ''the informer'' it is by all means a terrificly good thriller with a lot of suspence and heavy intrigues, but i still feel especially in the second half we are robbed for some good plotparts that shouldve been there or havent been made at all. that there will be a sequel to this is for sure. there are also a high score on underdeveloped characters to make this a superb juristiction battle with undertones of politics, and screenplay wise its not much the filmstars can make a difference on when shut up or cut off by the editors and directors hand.

but by all means, its thrilling, even though the grumpy old man as a consultant could have made it even better, but i dont think they have the budget to economic power to hire me for consultancy. but have a look, i can recommend that

Gritty emotive crime thriller

[muamba_eats_toast · 8/10 · 3 September 2019]

An absorbing thrill ride of a crime thriller. Unlike some reviewers I actually found this well paced with enough twists to keep it interesting and a ruthless violent edge alongside the drama. Was tempted to even rate as a 9 until near the end but I just can't stand open endings to these things no matter how minor unless we know there'll be a sequel I just want to know how the story is resolved fully. Nevertheless one of the better thrillers of the year so far and well worth a watch.

Enjoyable, entertaining thriller.

[saki_agio · 7/10 · 23 January 2020]

Enjoyable, entertaining thriller. Worth a watch. Good acting.

Not good, not bad, just mediocre.

[sbweightman · 5/10 · 30 August 2019]

An unremarkable action thriller which isn't particularly good or bad, just mediocre. It's a bit boring at times, a bit too cliché at times and a bit implausible at times, but the story is gritty, the action scenes are well put together and the acting and characters are good, if a bit 1 dimensional.

A Gritty Underworld Prison Thriller

[zardoz-13 · 7/10 · 31 December 2020]

"Escobar: Paradise Lost" director Andrea Di Stefano's gritty underworld crime thriller "The Informer," toplining Swedish/American actor Joel Kinnaman, ranks as an above-average prison break yarn whose credibility wears thin about a quarter of an hour before fadeout. Although he starred in the theatrical "RoboCop" (2014) remake and joined the cast as Rick Flag in "Suicide Squad" (2016), you may be more familiar with Kinnaman's co-stars, namely Rosamund Pike, Common, Ana de Armas, and Clive Owen, than with the Swedish/American. The tall, lanky actor with gimlet eyes, who bears a striking resemblance to actor Keith Carradine, hasn't landed that major movie role yet which would confer household name recognition. Nevertheless, he gives a good account of himself as a volatile ex-con harassed and betrayed by the Polish Mafia, the FBI, and the NYPD, in this adaptation of Anders Roslund and Borge Hellstrom's bestselling 2009 novel "Three Seconds." The filmmakers have shifted the setting from Scandinavia to New York City. Basically a polished B-movie boasting several good scenes, "The Informer" has no shortage of intrigue and action. As far as informant movies go, this complex take on the genre bristles with double and triple crosses that should occasionally surprise you like somebody sneaking up behind you on phantom feet and tapping you on the shoulder when you least expect it. Kinnaman's utterly sympathetic hero finds himself at the mercy of several unsavory villains eager to snuff him out. The circuitous twists and turns in the screenplay penned by Matt Cook of "Triple 9," Rowan Joffe of "The American," and Di Stefano are comparable to the wicked spirals in a barbed wire fence. Ostensibly, "The Informer" adheres to much of what took place in the award-winning novel. Apart from the change of setting, the film substitutes the deadly opioid fentanyl for the novel's use of amphetamines as the contraband which our hero must smuggle into the prison. Clive Owen stands out as Rosamund Pike's arrogant FBI boss in this tense R-rated epic.

A second-generation Pole who distinguished himself during four tours of duty in the Gulf War as a highly decorated sniper, Pete Koslow (Joel Kinnaman) survived combat in Iraq, but suffered afterward from post-traumatic stress disorder. Initially, FBI agent Wilcox paroled Koslow from prison where he was pulling a 20-year stretch for killing a foul-mouthed biker in a brawl who had insulted his wife. After Wilcox's FBI superior Keith Montgomery (Clive Owen of "Killer Elite") approves Koslow as her snitch, she embeds him in the Polish mob. As "The Informer" unfolds, we learn Koslow must sell 6kg of fentanyl smuggled in diplomatic pouches through the Polish embassy. Suddenly, everything goes sideways for Koslow when his cronies make an impromptu stop to sell product to a Latino gangster. Pete suspects the Latino, Daniel Gomez (Arturo Castro of "Bushwick"), may be an undercover NYPD cop. He resorts to intimidation tactics to frighten off the Latino without exposing the latter's identity to the trigger-happy gunman Stazek. Unfortunately, the frustrated narc pulls his pistol on him. Stazek (Mateusz Kosciukiewicz of "Suicide Room") shoots Gomez in the back. This murder occurs while Pete is wired up and Wilcox is listening. She cancels the FBI operation immediately and disperses her team. Stazek and his accomplices sink the narc's mutilated body in the river. Afterward, Stazek ushers Pete into the presence of notorious General Klimek (Eugene Lipinski of "Rollerball") who explains the demise of an NYPD cop is "bad for business." As the General sees it, Stazek saved Pete's life when he shot the narc. Now, the General coerces Pete to break his parole, go back to prison to serve out his original sentence, and smuggle the fentanyl into the facility. The General wants him back in Bale Hill Prison in two days. Klimek lays it out for Pete. "With fentanyl, we can have tens of thousands hooked on our product." He predicts that with those hooked inside and those hitting the streets after their release, the Poles will have an army at their disposal. Predictably, Peter is reluctant about going back to prison. He fears for the lives of his wife, Sofia (Ana de Armas of "Knock Knock"), and his teenage daughter Anna (newcomer Karma Meyer), when he accepts the General's ultimatum. Naturally, this surprises the FBI, but Wilcox convinces Montgomery that they can still bust the General with Pete back in prison. Imagine Pete's paranoia as he reenters Bale Hill.

Not only does "The Informer" benefit from Andrea Di Stefano's energetic helming, but also his stauch editing. He orchestrates a variety of subplots with agility. This nimble crosscutting enhances the film's spontaneity as well as its suspense, making its 113 minutes tolerable. When he isn't putting Koslow through the wringer, Di Stefano intensifies the treacherous relationship between Clive Owen's obnoxious FBI superior and Rosamund Pike's naïve field agent. The best movies keep their heroes behind the eight ball until the finale. Indeed, Di Stefano and company never let poor Koslow off the hook, especially at fadeout when the procedural issues surrounding his case linger. Treading a tightrope between good and evil, Rosamund Pike's conflicted FBI agent Wilcox struggles to maintain her own virtue. She convinces Pete to re-enter prison, but Montgomery is prepared to burn both of them if the operation goes sideways. Detective Grens (Common of "American Gangster") enters the picture as Gomez's vengeful NYPD superior. He poses a serious threat to both Pete and the FBI. Sadly, we don't see nearly enough of Eugene Lipinski's insidious General who disappears far too early and doesn't pay the piper. As the General's homicidal henchman, Mateusz Kosciukiewicz is so oily you may applaud his comeuppance. As a sadistic prison guard, Sam Spruell is so sinister you cringe when he wields his clout. No matter what happens, everybody both inside and outside of Bale Hill prison manipulates our hero.

A robust pastiche of crime & prison movies, "The Informer" mingles both genres with enough gusto to make its cliches captivating once again.