Lysine. The plot of the movie of The Informant revolves around corporate misconduct to ensure price-fixing and the control of Lysine. Lysine, which I know only from Michael Crichtons book and subsequent movie Jurassic Park, without it the Dinosaurs die. Apparently it’s an amino acid you get via the excrement from shrimp on a corn diet. This is just one of the many fun facts that Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon) teaches us in The Informant. Which is also based on a book. Although Mark has no apparent interest in Crichton, he keeps reminding us that he can't get enough of John Grisham.

Mark is an ‘interesting man’ who is afforded a chance in the spotlight after he exposes a plot to sabotage the company he works for by infiltration from Japanese competitors. And once Mark's got the attention of the FBI, he proceeds to blow the whistle on his own company by spilling the beans on everything he knows about Lysine price control. The story just gets way out of control after this, the plot thickens, then it dilutes, then it thickens again. And just as the revelation is made that although Mark is a “hero” for exposing corporate evil, he’s also found out to be just a self-interested pathological liar.

Dave Chappelle did a sketch on his show once where he had his inner monologue play while someone was boring him to tears. The Informant is ‘That Sketch: The Movie.’ Mark Whitacre’s mind takes us all over the board with constant interjection about ideas ranging from a t.v. show concept he’d like to see made, tie shopping, that he thinks quart is an ugly word and why. He’s either really bored with everyone, or that self-absorbed he’d rather hear his own thoughts, than listen to anyone else speak.

The Informant is a really enjoyable movie, one that I’d actually like to see again. It’s funny but not uproariously so. It keeps you giggling the whole way through. It’s nice to see Matt Damon not killing people with household objects for a change, even if he didn’t let the ‘secret spy’ thing go completely. Though this movie is a far cry away from the Bourne series.

I’d check it out for sure.

The Informant is rated R for language and is 108 minutes long.

Please feel free to use the comment space below to post your own 'micro-review', or gripe about how you felt you should have waited for the DVD, etc.