They’re st**king Matt Damon
I discovered last month that the Decatur Herald & Review has launched an unofficial news page for THE INFORMANT, which allegedly began location photography in the Soy Capital yesterday, May 3, and will continue for two weeks after which the production moves to Moweaqua, Springfield, St. Louis, and Hawaii. Among other business, H&R will entertain reports and snaps of Matt Damon sightings, thereby undermining the level-headed arguments of staff writer Tim Cain (see also: 3/16/08) that Decatur citizens will probably be hard-pressed to mingle with their visitors and should let them do their work. [Sighs.] Quoteth Don Henley, “crap is king.”
Elsewhere, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has fleshed out its list of principal INFORMANT cast and crew. Assuming the details hold water, Damon will be joined by the charming Melanie Lynskey, who has a recurring role on the Mark Roberts sitcom TWO AND A HALF MEN, as well as Scott Bakula of QUANTUM LEAP and STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE fame. Several performers more noted for their comedic work have also been cast, including Rick Overton (WILLOW) and Thomas F. Wilson (BACK TO THE FUTURE), so who knows what Steven Soderbergh hopes to gain with this strategy. It could work (think Robin Williams in INSOMNIA or John Candy in JFK) or haunt the final product forever (um, GODZILLA?).
If nothing else, IMDb nicely summarizes the fascinating story of what went down at Archer Daniels Midland Company two decades ago. Damon will have his work cut out for him portraying the delusional head case that was Mark Whitacre. Maybe Sarah Silverman can drop in to provide timely (and characteristically tart) inspiration. Eh, Jimmy?
~ Jason Pankoke