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Denzel Washington,
Denzel Washington,
Clive Owen,
more...
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Spike Lee,
Spike Lee
see all cast/crew...
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: Universal Studios
: Suspense/Thriller, Crime, Capers
: 129 min.
: English, Spanish, French
: English, Spanish, French
see additional details...
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The volatile showdown between a determined cop and a perfectionist bank robber is sent spiraling toward disaster when a scheming power broker steps in to take control of the situation in this hair-raising heist flick directed by Spike Lee and starring Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, and Jodie Foster. Dalton Russell (Owen) is a bank robber with a difference. In his quest to execute the perfect heist, Dalton has taken every possible factor into consideration. Dalton's uncanny ability of staying one step ahead of the law thwarts even-tempered Detective Keith Frazier's (Washington) best efforts. But there's another factor at play. The bank president (Christopher Plummer) has requested the services of high-profile negotiator Madeline White (Foster). Despite her commendable track record, Madeline is something of a wild card, and before the day is over, this bank robbery will go down in history as one of the most elaborate heists ever executed. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
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| Inside Man
by fosloss
January 5, 2007 - 12:40 PM PST
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0 out of 1 members found this review helpful
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| Great group of actors but very disappointing performance almost fall asleep while watching |
| Spike's Peak (of late, at least)
by talltale
July 24, 2006 - 10:12 AM PDT
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5 out of 6 members found this review helpful
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It's true: Spike Lee has finally made a mainstream movie. Unfortunately, it's only so-so. I suppose critics (it received pretty good press) were so stunned that they let their shock get the better of their judgment. How else to explain their missing the fact that INSIDE MAN is, as usual with Lee's work, way too long, running downhill for the final half. (Unlike the terrific "16 Blocks," another urban thriller from earlier this year that manages its sociology, politics, economics and excitement with a lighter, surer hand--and is twenty minutes shorter, to boot!)
Lee and writer Russell Gewirtz also let the cat out of the bag far too early concerning the what and how of the bad guys; their "interviewing the hostages" scenes build up but then implode in a manner that is just plain dumb. It does appear for a good while that Lee has at last foregone his silly and pointless camera effects, but then-- "Is he on a skateboard?" my partner asked, as Denzel Washington suddenly zoomed along in a position both moving and stationary. No, it's just Mr. Lee on "uppers" with his camera.
There are a few clever lines pertinent to post-9/11 life, but many of these are dropped so heavily that they clunk. There is also a welcome understanding that power and money are as likely now to make things cushy for the Bin-Laden family via the Bush & Bloomberg administrations as they did decades ago for certain rich bankers via the Nazis. But the film is so full of holes and lack of believability (from the first moments, as the "painting crew" makes itself too easily at home in the bank, to the finale, in which a collision between bodies that ought to look like a subtle accident appears more like a deliberate train wreck. Performances are as good as they can be under these circumstances, and, though the movie is not awful, it ought to have been much better. |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 6.38)
86 Votes
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