Review of Inside Man (2006) by Jaredc. — 04 Dec 2007

Filmmaker Spike Lee's first foray into big-studio genre movies, Inside Man is a twisty thriller that makes up for its flaws with star power and sharp observations about post-2001 New York. It's about 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.

Inside Man's plot is exciting, and the acting by Washington, Owen, and Foster all have a stellar performance of their own. I couldn't have liked it more.