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


Neither black nor white -- but gray. This statement could stand for a lot a things and in a Spike Lee film, it always does. Inside Man, Spike Lee’s latest “joint” is absolutely brilliant. After a series of lack luster films like Bamboozled and She Hate Me, it is nice to see Spike back where he belongs -- at the forefront of filmmaking.

Inside Man appears to be yet another bank heist film, but like Dog Day Afternoon -- it is so much more than that. It is layered with social commentary: racism, redemption, and corporate corruption are all covered. The brilliance comes in how Spike Lee weaves all these topics into the fabric of the classic bank heist plot. A great twist on a very stale genre. It also helps to have a cast of actors that includes Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, and Christopher Plummer.

Denzel plays Detective Keith Frazier (currently being looked at by Internal Affairs for some missing cash) who is sent in to negotiate with, Dalton Russell (Clive Owen), who happens to have fifty hostages and a large bank in the palm of his hand. These two tear it up with some classic verbal battles and prove to us that great dialogue is king. Jodie Foster also gives a very nice and sassy performance as a women who seems to be friends with everyone who is anyone and when the owner of the bank calls for her help, we see why when she works her magic.

Inside Man has some great twists, fast and furious dialogue, and firm performances. Whether you are a fan of Spike Lee or not, I guarantee you will really enjoy this film. If you do happen to be a Spike Lee fan, then Inside Man will definitely not disappoint and will only act as a reminder of why you like Spike Lee so much.


THE RUNDOWN:

The Good: Inside Man is beyond a conventional bank heist film.

The Bad: May be a little long (129 mins) for fans of regular bank heist films.

The Law: Do not miss Inside Man.