When an armed, masked gang enter a Manhattan bank, lock the doors and take hostages, the detective assigned to effect their release enters negotiations preoccupied with corruption charges he is facing.
As heist films go, this isn't at all bad. Spike Lee and Denzel Washington's "Det. Frazier" keep the drama going and although quite few, the twists do keep you guessing. Jodie Foster and Christopher Plummer appear sparingly, but they contribute quite substantially to the rather more evil and interesting sub-plot - despite the presence of the unusually stolid Clive Owen whose role as "Russell" is pivotal to the accruing sense of peril and cleverly planned mischief. This movie touches upon social and religious mores a little, though I wouldn't say this was Lee at his most political - and this all adds to an enjoyable multi-layered story. A good watch.
**Inside Man is the most clever and interesting bank robbery film I have ever seen!**
Inside Man is mind-blowing, clever, fast-paced, well-crafted, and downright brilliant. With an all-star cast led by Denzel Washington and Clive Owen, Inside Man takes twists and turns you never see coming. Denzel’s clever charm combats Clive’s steely calm intensity leaving the audience intrigued and engaged, wondering what is happening from start to finish. The genius writing makes the crazy robbery scheme seem believable and actually possible. Inside Man makes you root for both sides of the law wanting the burglars to succeed and the cops to get their man with a highly satisfying and rewarding resolution. My only complaints would be the final 20 minutes falters in pacing a little as it attempts to tie all the threads together, and all the foul language was unnecessary. All in all, Inside Man is a brilliant must-see for any heist film enthusiast, Denzel Washington fan, or movie lover in general.
