QUESTION: Films about insiders suddenly outside and fighting the system?

[Ryan Goble]

Hi Everyone, 

I have a thematic film question today. Can anyone think of a movie or movies where the protagonist is a "company woman or man" who realizes the company is corrupt and decides to fight "the man."

Examples might be a cop who realizes he's part of a dirty system and must choose to fight it OR

Someone in government whose ideal vision of the system is shattered and he tries to fight it.

The only film that quickly comes to my small mind is the Valerie Plane film Fair Game.

CIA operative Valerie Plame discovers her identity is allegedly leaked by the government as payback for an op-ed article her husband wrote criticizing the Bush administration.

Any other films on this theme come to mind?

All ideas appreciated!

Secret Agent Double R G!

[Mary H]

The classic:  Serpico:  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070666/ but you're too young to know that one!

[Ryan Goble]

That is a great one.  Heeeeeyyy, I'm not that young - lol and I was a film minor so I've seen Serpico but don't remember it very well. GREAT idea - I'm very thankful for the collective brain! 

[Michele Vogt-Schuller]

The Insider - about big tobacco

The George Clooney's "The Plight of the Modern Man" collection: "Michael Clayton" and others(not exactly dead on, but close): Syriana, The Ides of March, Up in the Air

and a very strange kind of stick it to the man movie (unreliable/crazy narrator): The Informant!

[Ryan Goble]

Yeah, I haven't seen the Ides of March yet but that sounds good.

[Frank W. Baker]

Highly recommend The Insider, starring Russell Crowe, or Norma Rae with Sally Field, or Erin Brockovich (Julia Roberts) and  All The President's Men, in which the WashPost journalists break the Watergate story.

[Ryan Goble]

Thanks Frank! So Erin B and ATPM (such a classic) is an outsider taking on "the man/system.  I have not seen Norma Rae thought and will check that out! 

[Jeremy Greene]

R.G.,

 

Call me the Shadow,

 

I noticed you ask two questions.  One, in the title and the second in the first sentence of your post.

 

The following all qualify for your first sentence, but not the title:

 

The Lives of Others does not qualify but is on the more common storyline of someone fighting the system (in this case, the Stasi in East Germany) from within.  Serpico is, of course, the cop movie about this. On the Waterfront is the movie for unions / Hollywood.  Norma Rae could be the rejoinder to On the Waterfront.  But all of these are individuals fighting from within.  One could also bring up people who fought against Jim Crow, Apartheid, imperialism, etc. etc., such as Biko, A Dry White Season, Boycott, Gandhi, etc., etc.

 

I hope you find what you are looking for.

 

This message will self destruct in one minute.

[Ryan Goble]

J to the G,  Great point on my questions but yes.

Oh man, The Lives of Others - great one - loved that film. OTW - yeah, also excellent can't believe I hadn't thought of that. 

[Kimberly Hawks]

I immediately thought of The Pelican Brief with Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington....since it is very much figuring out the conspiracy behind the government cover-up

[Ryan Goble]

Yeah, good model as well. Thank you for sharing this one - I think almost every film Denzel is in is incredible!

[Anne Gaspers]

How about Stand and Deliver?  I also saw the Maldives ex-president Mohamed Nasheed on Letterman the other night talking about his new film The Island President which sounds like it might be in the same category.

[Ryan Goble]

Nice - very very cool and of the grid ideas!  BTW - Co. treating you well or did you decide to stay in NYC?