Inside Man
Directed by: Spike Lee
Written by: Russell Gewirtz
Starring: Clive Owen, Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer

Before I begin this review, I have to say that I am not at all a die hard Spike Lee fan. In fact I’ve probably only seen about a handful of his films, and of the ones I’ve seen I have only really enjoyed one of them. With that being said I found my self knowing little about Inside Man before going to see it. I knew it was a heist movie, a type of movie that I tend to enjoy, and I knew it starred Clive Owen, an actor I also enjoy. So I would say I was a little skeptical about whether or not I would enjoy it. So what is the movie actually about?

The movie centers around three characters Dalton Russell (Owen), Detective Keith Frazier (Washington) and Madeline White (Foster). These characters are all different in ways and they all have their own problems that they have to deal with. Clive Owen is a bank robber who thinks very highly of himself for planning what he thinks to be the perfect bank robbery. Then we have Denzel’s character. A typical beat up New York City detective who’s had problems in the past. Jodie Foster plays the shady business woman who has her own agenda and is there to protect a client who has something valuable in one of the bank’s safety deposit boxes.

The best thing that Inside Man has going for it is the script. First time screenwriter Russell Gewirtz, has crafted together a very interesting story that will grab your attention from the very beginning. It’s very well written and very entertaining. All three characters are great to watch and everyone gives a solid performance. I find it sometimes hard to watch Denzel Washington in films these days, as he tends to bring nothing new to his characters. He usually just plays the same guy from film to film and it’s getting very annoying. While watching Inside Man I found Denzel not blowing me away, but that I wasn’t annoyed also. He delivers a solid performance. The real treat is Clive Owen. He’s the kind of bank robber you root for. Jodie Foster also delivers a great performance and it’s a different kind of role for her. Simply put, she plays a bitch. Christopher Plummer and Willem Dafoe also lend great supporting roles.

The film is set up with the bank robbery, and jumps back and forth in time to after the robbery. What this does is allow the audience to piece together the story as the police are doing the same thing. It’s a heist movie, and when a film is labeled with that you kind of expect the typical clichés that go along with that label, however Inside Man is not your typical heist movie. It spices this genre up, because of excellent direction and an excellent script. Spike Lee has managed to craft together a fun and smart bank robbery film that will have people on the edge of their seats.

Where Inside Man falls flat is the end. The film does such a great job at bringing you on a great journey to the end, and when it gets there it fall shorts of what you were expecting. This is unfortunate because Inside Man could have been that much of a better film.

Overall Inside Man is one of the good movies playing in theatres right now. If you’re into heist movies, and great acting and a good script then Inside Man is for you. — James

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