Starring: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, and more ...
Director: Spike Lee
Genre: Drama
though no-doubt for his brilliance in movie making, i can never quite in tune to many of spike lee movies, especially not when i'm looking for movie entertainment. i mean, his movies are usually have very strong social commentaries and nothing more than that. he always tries to create a movie against the streamline and puts the subjects that many people wouldn't dare to do. and he's doing it with his own style, you just know that it's lee's fingerprint mark on the storyline everytime you watch his movies. the social commentaries, though are usually the same thing, it always has to deal with race. i'm not against it, of course, it's just that he was never really on my top list of movie directors. however, "inside man" is really his first movie that focuses on the narrative and is intent on telling an entertaining story.
the film is his most mainstream film to date. clive owen plays a bank robber who decides to go "dog day afternoon" style and perform an elaborate bank heist, planned to perfection. 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 the bank heist is. the owner of the bank, played by christopher plummer, has a secret about his past that could destroy his reputation if released to the public. and it happens to be located in an unlisted safety deposit box in that bank. he then hires jodie foster to help him try and reason with clive owen's character, while all denzel washington concerned about is serving justice. the film is quick, superbly edited, and extremely entertaining (at least if you see it coming from "spike lee joint"). spike lee doesn't compromise his techniques and the film still retains all of the familiar lee's social commentaries. race and politics become the underlying theme for the film and it moves in the right direction. many reviews talk about the twist ending and a plot full of surprises. however, i don't see it that way. definitely there isn't a shyamalan twist ending 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 because you didn't see them coming, and those are always fun.
the racial and political theme is not overpowering and 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 movie worth passing to the next person. however, i suggest you don't expect too high, because as many spike lee movies.. of course, this is not your regular hollywood movie.
as for acting wise, this is the movie with the great cast that any director would kill for. denzel washington, clive owen, jodie foster, christopher plummer, and willem dafoe headline this impressive ensemble. how can you have bad acting with a cast like this? it's just impossible. the quality of the acting is just so strong that you just know that the ensemble is in the class of their own. they make it look easy to pull off roles like these. the characters feel natural and real, and are emotionally involving.
bottom line, spike lee proves himself to be a great story teller. 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 by using very catchy song that sets the perfect tone for the film (a song from bollywood composer). although i still wonder why he chooses the song... but it's no doubt a good setup.
i had no expectation when i entered the movie theater. i just thought that the trailer was extremely interesting that i wouldn't pass such ensemble. i should know better that i shouldn't expect just a regular bank heist story, as of course it is done differently. not just for the story line, but also how the characters develop and the subtle political commentaries. even after a tiring day and watching the movie so late at night, which means i could fall asleep easily.. i just can't help that the presentation sure does give me a reason to stay awake the entire time even had a little discussion afterwards.
