The Informant - Was it Just me?

Have you seen The Informant?

Was it just me, or was there something a little "off" with that movie? Both my husband and I left the theater feeling less than enthusiastic about the flick and wondering why.

Gotta find the answer

Not knowing what's wrong with a movie is like having a itch I can't scratch. There's no relief until I can figure out what the problem is. I get panicky, thinking, "What if I can't pinpoint it? I'll make the same mistake myself!"

Luckily, I have a husband who puts up with my obsessive nature. Over lunch at The Kettle (home of the biggest and best breakfasts ever) we hash it out.

The issue with the Informant we decided was that we never really got into the character. We never knew his true motivations and why he's doing what he was doing. Was he (a) greedy, (b) screwed up or (c) both?

Not knowing "why" the guy acted how he did, I'm left wondering, "What's the point of the movie? I should have waited for Netflix. Dang, and I spent a mint for that popcorn with extra butter."

The fix

Chris and I decided it would have been better if it had been more Catch Me If You Can, where we understood the young guy's motivations were based in something good and we rooted for him even though he was doing some pretty illegal stuff.

Or more like Fargo, where the Bill Macy character is doing illegal stuff and although we're not rooting for him, we completely understand his motivations and are riveted as we watch the story unfold.

Lesson Learned

I feel much better having my answer. From this point forward I must craft my stories so that the audience can relate to my character(s) motivations. If not, the audience will leave unsatisfied.

They will also probably want me to refund them for the popcorn.