The Informant (1997): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1997, The Informant is an action, thriller and war film directed by Jim McBride, running about 105 minutes. “Even freedom has its price.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. A former Irish Republican Army fighter, Gingy McAnally (Anthony Brophy), is reluctant about being called back into service after serving time in prison. He executes the grisly task but ends up captured by a sympathetic British police lieutenant named Ferris (Cary Elwes). The intimidating Chief Inspector of the Belfast Police (Timothy Dalton) convinces Gingy that his best hope is to become an informant and turn in other IRA operatives. As Gingy's marriage unravels under the stress, he is forced to come to terms with the fact that in this war both sides lose. Three men, three political circles, each fighting for their lives, each with their own agenda in the battle for Northern Ireland.

Who’s in it. The Informant stars Cary Elwes as Lt. David Ferris, Anthony Brophy as Gingy McAnally, Timothy Dalton as DCI Rennie and Maria Lennon as Roisin McAnally, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.3/10, The Informant has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Informant page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Informant tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.