Inside Man (Widescreen Edition)

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Product Description
The perfect bank robbery quickly spirals into an unstable and deadly game of cat & mouse between a criminal mastermind a determined detective and a power broker with a hidden agenda. Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 11/27/2007 Starring: Denzel Washington Clive Owen Run time: 129 minutes Rating: R Director: Spike Lee

Amazon.com
Spike Lee scored his biggest hit to date with Inside Man, an unconventional thriller with fascinating details in the margins of its convoluted plot. The screenplay (by first-timer Russell Gerwitz) could've used a few more rewrites; it moves at a brisk pace but in hindsight a lot of it doesn't make sense. That makes Inside Man more fun to watch than to think about afterwards (when you discover plot holes big enough to drive a truck through), but it's curiously involving, especially as NYPD Detective Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington) struggles to outsmart a high-stakes bank robber (Clive Owen) who, along with a well-trained crew of accomplices, has seized control of a Wall Street bank, turning what initially looks like a hostage crisis into a personal crusade to expose some mysterious evil secrets. As you might expect from the director of Do the Right Thing, Lee seizes several satisfying opportunities to examine post-9/11 issues of racial prejudice and domestic terrorism, and the mysterious "problem solver" Madeline White (Jodie Foster), as eerily sinister as she is vaguely defined, is worthy of her own movie. With the benefit of his most stellar cast to date (including Christopher Plummer, Willem Dafoe and Chiwetel Ejiofor), Lee seems more interested in character details than well-crafted suspense, but that doesn't stop Inside Man from being engrossing, subtly amusing, and quirky enough to qualify as a welcomed break from the formulaic thrillers that are Hollywood's bread and butter.--Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews: Read 216 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

Inside Man Is Sharp Filmmaking With An Amazing Cast, Truly Entertaining Even With Lee's Social Commentary March 28, 2006
47 out of 63 found this review helpful

MOVIE: Spike Lee has never been on my top list of directors. His movies usually have very strong social commentaries, and nothing more than that. Those social commentaries though are usually the same thing, and it always has to deal with race. Hell, he calls every one of his films "A Spike Lee Joint". I'm not against it, but it usually detracts from the story. Inside Man is really his first movie that really focuses on the narrative and is intent on telling an entertaining story. The film is his most mainstream film to date, and in my opinion is his best. Clive Owen plays a bank robber who decides to go Dog Day Afternoon style and perform an elaborate bank heist, but this theif has everything planned to perfection. The film opens right into the action and wastes no time. Denzel Washington plays the "average joe" hostage negotiator who is assigned to the case, and Chiwetel Ejiofor plays his partner. As the story progresses we learn more of what the true purpose of this bank heist is. The owner of the bank, played by Christopher Plummer, has a secret about his past that could destroy his repuation if released to the public and it happens to be located in an unlisted safety deposit box in that bank. He hires Jodie Foster to help him try and reason with Clive Owen's character, while all Denzel Washington is concerned about is serving justice. The film is quick, superbly edited, and extremely entertaining. Spike Lee doesn't compromise his techniques and the film still retains all of the familiar Lee social commentaries. Race and politics become the underlaying theme for the film and it moves it in the right direction. All the reviews and ads talk about the twist ending and a plot full of surprises. It's not that kind of movie, there isn't a Shyamalan twist waiting at the end of the movie, but there are a few secrets about the characters that are slowly revealed throughout. There are some surprises that will make you grin with shame becaue you didn't see them coming, and those are always fun. The racial and political theme is not overpowering, it's not what drives the film but rather enhances the character relations in the film. It's a really well put together piece of filmmaking. Sharp dialogue, light tone, and great entertainment make Inside Man a joint worth passing to the next person.

ACTING: This is the dream cast that any director would kill for. Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer, and Willem Dafoe headline this impressive ensamble. I mean, how can you have bad acting with a cast like this? It's impossible. The cast is so experienced that they make it look easy to pull off roles like these. The characters feel natural and real, and are emotionally involving. It's a great cast.

BOTTOM LINE: Spike Lee proves himself to be a great storyteller. He focuses on the important things and highlights them with his personal touches. He even has his trademark "floaty camera" technique, which he uses to show determination on Denzel Washington's character's part. Even the opening titles and credits are done with style. He uses a very catchy song for the opening and closing credits that sets the perfect tone for the film. It's a song from Bollywood composer, A.R. Rahman. It's titled "Chayya Chayya". You can find the album on Amazon, it's the soundtrack to Dil Se. Inside Man is a tightly woven piece of filmmaking, and is worth your time

3 out of 5 stars

"I promise you I'll walk out the front door!" August 9, 2006
18 out of 19 found this review helpful

The one note about Spike Lee films is that you're never sure what you're going to get. I'm not really a fan, I find that his films are too convoluted with extraneous detail and somewhat over produced. Inside Man retains all the elements of a solid bank robbery/caper film, whilst also giving us Spike Lee's trademark of gritty, street-wise irreverence.

The problem with Inside Man is that it's impossibly unbelievable with a plot that strains the realms of credibility; combine this with it's over-long running time and you have a film that features some great performances by it's cast - Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Christopher Plummer and Jodie Foster - but ultimately sags a bit in the middle and ends up becoming rather ponderous.

Lee manages to pull off a handful of effective scenes, but he doesn't have the flair to bring the whole movie off with real conviction. An enigmatic master criminal (Owen) - who spends most of the movie wearing a mask - plans and executes a "genius plan" in which he and several masked companions take over a Lower Manhattan bank and brutally seize several dozen of its customers as hostages.

The NYPD negotiator given the task of dealing with these crooks is an affable junior detective, Detective Keith Frazier (Washington) - under a cloud of suspicion from a previous case - he soon surmises that the perpetrators don't actually want the bank's money. Enter smarmy and elegant New York political insider Madeline White (Foster) who knows everybody and even has the ear of the Mayor.

Madeline is hired by the chairman of the bank's board of directors (Plummer) to oversee the crisis and make sure that certain secrets he has in his safe-deposit box stay secret. The bulk of the film involves the standoff between the bank robbers and the NYPD as they try frantically to ensure that the hostages remain safe.

Of course we know the hostages survive because Lee inserts interview footage of them after the heist is over, this device, however, tips off the outcome, dissipates suspense and quickly becomes tiresome. This is just one of the many techniques Lee uses to clutter the movie's structure and prevent the plot from unfolding as quickly as it should.

Obviously, everyone has something to hide, particularly the bank president, but when his past is revealed, it finally appears with a bit of a thud, with the movie going through to much difficulty to arrive at very little. In all fairness, Inside Man has some interesting things to say about race, money, power and the ethics of urban living, particularly in New York and the performances are wonderfully cynical and gritty.

Washington is sexy and strong, Foster is skillfully odious as the icy, sophisticated and amoral Madeline who cares for nothing but chasing big bucks, Owen is morbidly compelling as the determined heavy and Plummer is letter-perfect as the guilt-ridden bank honcho.

Lee, however, just doesn't seem able to bring all the disparate elements of a heist film into a convincing and gratifying whole and in the end; the movie is vaguely unsatisfying and impossibly far-fetched. Mike Leonard August 06.

5 out of 5 stars

"Inside" a Great Genre Film March 28, 2006
17 out of 25 found this review helpful

After watching "Inside Man", starring Denzel Washington, Clive Owen and Jodie Foster, I tried to think of something, anything that didn't work. Honestly, I couldn't. "Inside Man" is an excellent, enjoyable film.

Dalton Russell (Clive Owen) and his crew walk into a large bank in the middle of the Manhattan financial district, dressed as painters, and begin to rob the facility. This crew is professional; Russell seems to have thought of everything, down to the infrared lamps to knock out the security cameras. Detectives Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington) and Bill Mitchell (Chiwetel Ejiofor, "Dirty Pretty Things", "Four Brothers") are the assigned hostage negotiating team. Frazier has a dark spot on his record, so he is anxious for the opportunity to prove himself. As soon as Mr. Case (Christopher Plummer) hears the news of the hold-up at his bank, he enlists the help of power broker Madeline White (Jodie Foster); he needs her help to ensure that something in his bank remains in his bank.

"Inside Man" is a heist film. As soon as you realize that, you know a good example of the genre will be fun, light and breezy, keep you guessing and take you on a bit of a roller coaster ride. Check on all points. "Inside Man" is a great example of the genre.

I have never been a fan of Spike Lee's films. Film is an art form and the best films engage your imagination, feelings and emotion. Too many of Lee's films (and Oliver Stone's for that matter) bludgeon the viewer over the head with their message. Great films also have a point of view, but Lee's films always seem to portray the ONLY message, according to the filmmaker. If you disagree, screw you.

If "Inside Man" did not have Denzel Washington, Clive Owen and Jodie Foster in it, I probably would not have seen it, because of director Spike Lee. I am glad I did see it because it is an excellent film. All four people are integral to the film's success, but the biggest surprise for me is Spike Lee.

Any successful heist film is going to have to move, keep the viewer engaged and provide a form of suspense. Lee clearly recognizes the rules of this type of film and runs with them, playing with them a bit, but keeping them intact. Addressing each of the conventions of this genre, he makes them his own. All of the key points are depicted, and depicted well, leaving no stone unturned. Of course, in a heist film, the stones are unturned when and if the writer and director feel like it. I think he realized he wasn't going to be able to solve the race problems in our society, with this film, and decided to have fun. This is his most mainstream, most commercial film.

This is not to say that Lee has gone soft. He incorporates messages and ideas into the framework of this convention. For instance, when a bank employee is released by Dalton, in disguise, the cops approach with caution. When they remove the mask, they reveal he is wearing a turban. One of the cops shouts "He's an Arab" and they tackle him to the ground. Later, an exchange between this man and Frazier leads to some telling comments about our country's current paranoia against anyone who appears different and also one of the funniest lines of dialogue I have heard in some time. Another memorable exchange concerns a video game and there are many more instances like this throughout. As the machinations of the heist are in progress, these moments help make the characters more real and the film even more enjoyable.

Like the best Sidney Lumet, Martin Scorcese and Woody Allen films, Lee uses New York City as a character. A lot of the crew's plan depends on certain aspects of life in the large metropolis. At one point, Dalton walks right by a bank employee and they only give him a cursory glance. The city's melting pot of personalities and cultures also provides a rich backdrop for the film. Every character has been changed by life in New York and they change the story for good and bad. From cops who immediately set-up crowd barriers to keep the onlookers back, to a cop who is dedicated to his job, but racist due to his interaction with the public, to citizens who expect a little quid pro quo for helping the cops, everyone gives the film a richness sorely lacking from most multiplexes.

Denzel Washington's Detective Frazier is one of the actor's most memorable characters. Even with the blight on his record, he is confident, gung ho and ready for the challenge. Arriving at the bank, he meets with Captain Darius (Willem Dafoe), the police officer in charge of tactical operations. Darius is used to working with someone else and immediately discounts Frazier's presence. But the Detective realizes this will not help the situation and quickly establishes his authority. Throughout, he is always thinking, trying to guess Dalton's next move before it happens. He proves very adept at this and equally good dealing with New York.

His character has good dialogue throughout, adding an air of levity. When we first meet Frazier, he is discussing his relationship with his girlfriend, in frank and suggestive terms, establishing his character very quickly. Frazier jokes with people throughout, while at the same time is ready to instantly become serious should the need arise, adapting to the changes. When he is interrogating people, this same tactic proves disarming, disorienting people, perhaps allowing some truth to get through.

Clive Owen ("Gosford Park", the unfortunate "Derailed") is very good as Dalton Russell, the mastermind behind the robbery. Clearly, Russell has thought through the entire plan, many times, in an attempt to ensure everything goes flawlessly. Dalton frequently seems tired of, or perhaps resigned to, dealing with less, intelligent people. He seems to treat people with slight scorn, deriding them because they are less intelligent.

Dalton is always clear and calculating. Through most of the film, he even appears to be more ruthless than you might think, adding an unexpected element to the heist. The film is also good about casting doubts on his character a few times; we begin to wonder if he has, in fact, thought of everything.

Jodie Foster's Madeline White is, essentially, a supporting character, but no less memorable. As a high powered power broker, Madeline thinks everyone is beneath her, including her clients for needing her in the first place. But that doesn't stop her from working for them, and extracting huge fees. The great thing about Madeline is that even though she is a powerful woman and disliked by everyone she meets, she recognizes this and doesn't care. She knows that everyone she meets; from the Detective, to the Mayor, to Mr. Case, to Dalton Russell, everyone no matter how small, will one day be a person who can help her make new clients, settle new business, and create new favors.

"Inside Man" is the best film I have seen so far this year. If Spike Lee continues to direct films like this, I might even become a fan and eagerly anticipate his new films.

1 out of 5 stars

Just plain awful! September 25, 2006
14 out of 27 found this review helpful

This is an attempt at sophistication that just doesn't hack it. Jodie Foster's character, for one example, is so pretentious and obnoxious that one is tempted to reach into the screen and slap her face.

The language that everyone uses, particularly the Mayor, is so full of obscenities that it is just not credible. Filthy language for the sake of filthy language is just filthy.

The story, where Denzel Washington's character appears to finally understand what is going on with the bank robbers, is just too obscure and nonsensical for anyone to figure out, even Denzel Washington.

If there is some kind of message her, like criminals will finally be found out and will receive justice, it is lost in the juvenile way in which this movie is presented. Just plain awful.

2 out of 5 stars

Inside Man Needed Inside Help September 4, 2006
11 out of 15 found this review helpful

Judging from the reviews below, you would think this movie was on the verge of something great. WRONG.

IMO The storyline was very weak. I will give you a few examples.

The movie introduces too much information. For example, Frasier's girlfriend's brother (Notice how I don't know his name). He's introduced to the movie in the first 10 minutes as a person who is always in trouble with the law and shares an apartment with Frasier and his girlfriend. The next time you see or hear about this character is near the end - he's sleeping on the couch.

The next horrible character was Jodie Foster. She is introduced as a "problem solver for hire." However, her role is useless because when she confronts the bank robbeer she doesn't solve the problem. She is sprinkled throughout the rest of the movie for no reason at all.

In the movie, the robbers take everyones cell phone. One of the hostage has his kid with him. The kid offers to put his PSP into the bag. The robber, who seems fond of the kid, tells him to keep it. Considering the the PSP has wireless access one would assume this decision will come back to bite the bad guy the end. It's called FORESHADOWING. Instead, the PSP is shown as a device which has violent games on it that can influence our kids. Good message, but it was a wasted message.

Finally, it was not clear why the bank robber was robbing the bank. It was not clear how he knew which safe deposit box to steal. It was not clear why the bank robber wanted to expose the head of the bank as an evil person. It was not clear if the robbery was personal or if it was random.

Overall, the movie did not build up it's characters. The characters are flat. There is no growth. If you are a movie buff, this movie you can afford to miss.

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