Inside Man

2006 Spike Lee joint

Rating: 15/20

Plot: A super smart criminal matches wits with a super smart cop after taking some hostages in a New York bank. Somehow, Jodie Foster is involved.

Cool heist movie with enough twists and turns and folds to keep me interested all the way to the end. It's not always totally believable, and the story may be so brittle that you don't want to start poking at it, but it's well acted, and I like how it all unfurls. This is one of those movies that gets better and better as it goes along, as it effectively creates tension and intrigue. Lee tells his heist tale with grace and without cliche, and even though a lot of the ingredients are the same as the ones you'd find in any heist thriller director's kitchen, this still manages to be an original. Do the right thing, and give Inside Man a chance!

2 comments:

cory said...

This is one of the most boring heist movies I have seen. Lee made many unnecessary directing flourishes, Owen was stiff, and the plot fairly uninteresting. Spike better be careful or he will take the M Night road. A 10.

Shane said...

"Unnecessary directing flourishes"

I can't recall anything. Other than the flash-forwards to the cops interviewing the hostages (potential hostage takers), I thought this was restrained, almost bare bones.

M. Night? Whoa. That's harsh.

Have you seen previews or anything about his upcoming movie, 'Devil'? I think it's got potential!