Review:

*** ½ (out of ****)

Starring:

Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer, Willem Dafoe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Carlos Andrés Gómez, Kim Director, James Ransone, Bernard Rachelle

Director:

Spike Lee

Screenplay:

Russell Gewirtz

Length:

129 min.

MPAA Rating:

R ( for language and some violent images)

A small Manhattan bank is the target of a robbery attempt that pits New York's finest against a procedural genius in Spike Lee's new joint Inside Man.

Detective Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington) is under investigation for theft he swears he didn't commit. However, his chance to show his mettle comes when a bank robbery in progress takes him and his partner Det. Bill Mitchell (Chiwetel Ejiofor) several forces battling for dominance.

The bank's robbery is being carried out by Dalton Russell (Clive Owen) who has done so much careful research that the money in the vaults is hardly the target he's after. His assistants all use monikers derived from the name Steve (Carlos Andrés Gómez, Kim Director and James Ransone) and help him execute a complex, tricky, and generally rewarding plot.

The bank, owned by World War II survivor Arthur Case (Christopher Plummer) holds a secret that he wants back. He calls on the "favor" of tough-as-nails negotiator Madeline White (Jodie Foster) to get in and get what he wants to protect without arousing suspicion.

The interplay between the characters sells the film. Debut screenwriter Russell Gewirtz understands his characters. Some holes exist in the labyrinthine plot (such has how Russell knows about Case's secrets), but overall it's a rewarding experience for anyone who enjoys a character-driven drama.

Inside Man does feature Spike Lee's signature racial tensions but they don't overwhelm the film. It remains a film about the psychology of crime and its impact on the lives of those involved from the negotiators to the hostages to the criminals.

Helping the characters along are some fine performances. Owen plays his roll perfectly. You don't love Dalton but you don't hate him. For all his deviousness, he has the heart of a gentleman (epitomized in a scene with the only child hostage and his video game). Plummer plays his paternal part well and his slow metamorphosis to ruthlessness is well played. Foster hasn't been this good since Nell. Though her character certainly doesn't win friends, it's not hard to see a little bit of the tough-as-nails side of ourselves in her performance.

Washington gives the only banal performance in the film. He's never been the type of actor to play against type. His performances in Training Day and Malcolm X are the exceptions. His character is meant to be the most likeable and Washington conveys that strength. However, it is such a standard character for him that you feel like you've seen his performance many times before and while his fans love that about him, it's difficult not to get tired of it.

The appeal of Inside Man will turn away some die-hard heist fans as it focuses more on the emotions and concerns of those involved than on the logistics of the crime. While the conclusion has a bit of predictability to it, those who don't enjoy the characterization will still feel rewarded in the end.

-Wesley Lovell (May 19, 2006)