NoFace for Film

Title: Inside Man
Year: 2006
Director: Spike Lee
Starring Cast: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster
Rated: R

NoFace for Film rating: 6 out of 7

Before I begin, let me say that I don’t like watching hostage movies. There’s nothing inherently wrong about them, but I personally don’t like watching them because I feel stressed out and uncomfortable for the hostages. I can’t stand watching innocent people in danger. I just can’t take that sort of thing. So when my boyfriend’s parents suggested pay-per-viewing Inside Man and I found out that the plot circles around a bank robbery, I almost said no. And when I heard that Spike Lee directed it, I was even more skeptical. Lee tends to do heavy films with some sort of social or political commentary, and I just wasn’t up for that. However, because there wasn’t a great selection of pay-per-view films (some we had already seen, some just sucked) and because I was being polite, I kept my feelings to myself and stayed put on the couch.

I was glad I did, because Inside Man is no ordinary film about a bank robbery.

As mentioned above, Inside Man actually has a very simple plot: a bank robbery occurs. Hostages are taken, and police arrive at the scene. Detective Keith Frazier (Washington) is assigned to the case. Meanwhile, the bank robbers are lead by the wily Dalton Russell (Owen), who communicates with Detective Frazier as he makes his demands.

As the story unfolds, the audience realizes that nothing is what it seems. Russell and his gang are not your typical bank robbers, and this is no ordinary bank robbery. Furthermore, everyone involved has something to hide. Not only do Russell and Detective Frazier himself harbor secrets, but so does the bank’s founder, Arthur Case (Christopher Plummer). In fact, Case feels so compelled to protect this secret that he commissions Madeleine White (Foster), a well-known power broker, to work with the police. I won’t speak any more about the plot since I don’t want to give too much away.

Inside Man is overall, a well-made film. Lee frames the story by intercutting the events of the bank robbery with scenes from the aftermath, as Frazier and his partner interview the hostages and suspects. The pace is just right; you never feel bogged down or bored during most scenes. What I liked best about Inside Man is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. While a hostage situation is definitely intense, scary, and serious, there are many light-hearted moments, and I found myself laughing out loud several times. In one scene, the police spend several minutes debating on the answer to a trivia question given by Russell.

That being said, I did find however, that the ending felt somewhat rushed. The whole film takes its time in establishing the characters, the story, and the added twists and turns, which is great. You feel for the hostages, you see the desperation of the police, and you also get the bank robbers’ perspective. However, the last 15 minutes feel as if Lee was forced to wrap up the story quickly. Furthermore, Lee never provides a straight story on Russell’s and the other bank robbers’ identities, and the audience is left to speculate.

As for my concerns on Lee’s predilection for using his films as a sociopolitical commentary, I found that I didn’t have to worry after all. While Lee does still touch upon these subjects (an Indian sikh bank employee is mistaken for an Arab terrorist), he doesn’t do so in a heavy-handed manner, which is refreshing.

The acting is superb. Washington cooly straddles the line between serious and funny as Frazier. One minute he’s intensely discussing on the best way to rescue the hostages; the next minute he’s cracking jokes with his partner. Owen is terrific as the enigmatic and brilliant Russell. Like Hugo Weaving in V for Vendetta, Owen easily projects his character’s personality, emotions, and inner conflicts, even though his face is covered in a mask. Foster makes her small role as the charming but calculating White memorable. With her long blonde hair, power suit, and tanned, muscular legs, Foster demonstrates that White is not a force to be reckoned with. She’s neither a hero nor a villian, but an interesting character thrown in the mix.

I highly recommend Inside Man. There are lots of twists and turns; it’s edgy, intense, thrilling, yet highly amusing, and has a great cast.

Technorati Tags: Inside Man, Spike Lee, bankheist, Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer, Willem Dafoe

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