Steven Soderbergh never makes the same type of film twice. Except Che which was in two parts. And Ocean’s Eleven which was a trilogy of sorts. But besides those five films...

In that sense, he’s like a solitary Coen brother; he can move breezily from one genre to another, hop-scotching back and forth between mainstream cinema and the indie scene, without anyone raising an eyebrow.

Understandably, he’s gone for something a little lighter after his recent Che project, albeit with a twist, as this is based on a true story and a book of the same name.

How many words is it again? Sounds like...? Is it Close Encounters of the Third Kind??!

It’s no surprise to learn that some very dodgy things can go on behind those large corporate doors. Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon) is a high-flying exec for such a corporation, dealing with agriculture on a global scale. When he discovers that his company is involved in multi-national price fixing, he decides it’s his duty to inform the FBI.

With the aid of two FBI agents Shepard (Scott Bakula) and Herndon (Joel McHale), Whitacre takes to whistle-blowing like a sniffer dog to drugs. It soon becomes apparent however, that Whitacre is also quite selective when it comes to blowing the proverbial whistle, as the FBI eventually become aware of.

Although funny in places, Soderbergh hasn’t produced an all out comedy. Instead, he cleverly allows the humour to develop from the ever-growing absurdities that Whitacre creates. The audience are given certain clues as to the main character’s state of mind, with the inclusion of a first person narrative. Whitacre’s insights are for the most part witty, but are also pretty smart in the way they don’t reveal too much. To do that, Soderbergh lets the story unfold slowly from Whitacre’s actions. This way, the enormity of the story isn’t truly revealed until its final reel.

He’s also managed a sublime bit of casting with Damon in the main role. Not only is it a supremely assured performance by him as Whitacre, he is utterly compelling, which isn’t that easy considering he’s in virtually every scene of the film. And although he may not be one of the first names you’d utter from the Hollywood ‘A’ list, he’s most definitely on it.

Very few actors today can match Damon for his ability to play such diverse roles. He is just as comfortable in an action flick like his Bourne role, as he is handling something quirkier like this. And what did he win his Oscar for? Writing Good Will Hunting. It’s almost sickening to think how talented he is.

The only real oddity is the visual palette Soderbergh uses with the film. It has a certain washed-out beige, soft focus quality, giving it an almost seventies vibe. The problem is, the story takes place from 1992 to 1996, so it looks more dated than it actually is. Still, although a curiosity, it in no way spoils the enjoyment of the film.

What he does well is take a story about corporate corruption, that could have easily been delivered with the dryness of a Ryvita, and give it an enthralling storyline; with an ambiguous character like Whitacre, the audience are constantly put in a quandary in terms of whether to support him or not.

It’s another fascinating piece of cinema from Soderbergh, who yet again strengthens his position as being one of the most creative forces in the industry. In a similar vein to the Coen brothers, even if Soderbergh produces a bad film, it’s always worth watching. The Informant! However, is one of his more enjoyable experiments in film; it’s also the perfect vehicle for Damon, plastered with the word ‘star’ all over it. And boy, does he know how to drive.