Inside man (Film)

Inside Man is about a clever bank robber, played by Clive Owen, who has taken hostages while robbing bank and the attempts of police negotiator, played by Denzel Washingtion, to defuse the situation. Circled into the mix is Jodie Foster, playing problem solver, working for the bank president who very badly wants his safety deposit box untouched. This film is directed by Spike Lee in his most commercially made film and marks his fourth collaboration with Denzel. The others being:

Inside Man (2006)
He Got Game (1998)
Malcolm X (1992)
Mo' Better Blues (1990)

I liked it. The plot kept me guessing, but I felt the ending was rushed and wrapped up a little too neatly with some head scratching plot twists. It's the kind of film you go along with, but at the end, when you're thinking about it, it doesn't really make too much sense. I did feel it would have been nice if things didn't quite go so smoothly for the clever bank robber and he had to improvise. You do end up rooting for both Clive Owen and Denzel Washington. Both are likeable and do a good job sympathizing with wanting them to come out on top. I didn't guess the ending and I liked that. Too often in these type of films the ending's all too obvious.

Spike Lee does a solid job and is able to sprinkle some racially charged dialogue here and there. Jodie Foster's great, but hardly in it and I wonder, since she does so few films, why someone of her star power has taken such a small role. I'd say it's a solid matinee and you'll see me sitting in the aisle.