Inside Man (2006)

Director: Spike Lee
Starring: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster

Synopsis:
A bank job escalates into a hostage situation and a detective clashes with his superiors and a negotiator hired by the bank's owner as he tries to secure the hostages' release and get to the bottom of the robbers' true motives.

Impressions:
I'd like to set Spike Lee's politics to the side, but when it comes to the subtext of racial tensions in the film, there's no mistaking his touch. If that sort of thing bothers you, it may put a bit of a damper on what's a rather clever hostage/heist film. I found Denzel Washington's character a bit abrasive at times, but he's solid in the lead role as Detective Frazier and he has a good dynamic with Chiwetel Ejiofor as his partner. I also liked Jodie Foster as the ruthless troubleshooter and Clive Owen does well in the antagonist role. As I said, this movie is pretty clever and you probably won't see the twist coming. I've seen some people call this film a love letter to New York, warts and all, and I'd say that's fair. I've got some quibbles, but I still recommend giving it a watch.

Rating:
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