Review of Inside Man (2006) by Ben F — 17 May 2011

"Inside Man" is a fantastically coordinated bank robbery movie, and it's probably the best of these kinds of movies since 2000. And it's not surprising at all that Spike Lee is behind the directors chair for this knockout of a film. This movie is great.

I really like the plot of the film, because it goes deeper and deeper into a controversy of a specific person who doesn't have to do with robbing the bank. It's thoroughly interesting, and intriguing. Not to mention that Spike Lee's direction allows the audience to become enthralled in not only it's story, but it's presentation. This also, wasn't surprising.

The performances were absolutely solid. Denzel Washington puts on a great show as he usually does. He gave a commanding performance. Clive Owen, was also pretty good. It was interesting to see him with such a calm, tranquil approach to a really intense situation. Jodie Foster was alright, I didn't think she was amazing, but she got the job done. The same thing goes for Christopher Plummer and Willem Dafoe. It was nice to see them in this one, even if they only had small rolls. I also liked Chiwetel Sjiofor, he was pretty good.

I happened to love the cinematography in this movie. I always love Lee's presentation, and he always presents this unique approach to a plot that's definitely been done before. He knows how to make something that seems unoriginal original. And that's why he's such a fantastic director.

The soundtrack is also excellent. Why he decided to go with some Bollywood themes no one will ever know, but it seemed to work. The rest of the soundtrack is a compositional, and it's excellent.

It's a thriller that always seems to keep it's composure. It moves very well, and its relentlessly entertaining and captivating. The performances are all solid, the aesthetics are beautiful, and you'll find yourself amazed by how smooth the whole thing feels. Really a movie to watch.