Director Spike Lee delivers an enthralling bank-job film, starring Denzel Washington and Clive Owen.
Known for his hard-hitting social commentary, Spike Lee’s reputation places him as one of the foremost directors when it comes to modern civil rights, however, Inside Man is less about social inequality, and more about greed and immorality.
Owen plays bank robber Dalton Russell, who seems to have planned the perfect bank job. Negotiating on behalf of the city’s law enforcement, is Washington, whose character Keith Frazier, must attempt to talk Russell out of his mission peacefully. The result is an intense standoff as Russell sets into motion a genius plan to fool the cops, whilst Frazier attempts to get one step ahead of this master criminal.
Alongside this main plot, the owner of the bank sends in a specialist, Jodie Foster, in an attempt to prevent Russell finding a secret within his vault which could ruin him.
A brilliant action/thriller, there is an intelligence about this film which sets it apart from other mindless cops ’n robbers flicks. Clive Owen plays a very good baddie, and Washington is his ever-magnificent self. Foster, unfortunately, is under-used in this film, and her character could have been given a little bit more to play with, but the overall ensemble works well together.
Unlike most of Spike Lee’s other films, Inside Man has a mainstream appeal, which is not always a bad thing, and I would definitely recommend this to any fan of the action/thriller genre.
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