Plot holes and weak twists aside, Inside Man just reeks "coolness" however you look at it...

Rating: 7/10 (14 March 2006)

After attending it's press premiere here in Tel Aviv, Israel, the best thing I can say about Inside Man (2006), is that it's a very, very cool film. Plot holes and weak twists aside, this film just reeks "coolness" however you look at it. From the extremely stylish opening credits with the shaky camera movements, the brisk New York scenery and the uplifting Indian music; onto the powerful performances by Denzel Washington, Clive Owen (which just gets better and better every film) and veteran actor Christopher Plummer, and up until that moment where the plot finally unfolds and the Indian music starts rolling again - Inside Man is a fun, if unsatisfying, roller coaster ride. That being said, the only obvious conclusions one can assume after watching this film is that A) Spike Lee has once again proved his well achieved acknowledgment for being a very talented director, and B) he did the best he could given the subject material he was given. Oh, by the way, two time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster and two time Academy Award nominee Willem Dafoe also appear in this film, and give excellent performances at that, although their screen time is very limited, and makes you wonder if it was worth their efforts or not.
For those who insist on plot details, take in mind that it's hard describing it without giving away potential spoilers, but I'll do the best I can. The film starts by presenting us Dalton Russell (Owen), a bank robber who confesses in front of the camera about his part in leading an extremely elaborate scheme he had recently pulled off with the help of some colleagues. What he exactly robbed, how he did it and why, is where the real fun begins. Because most of the characters in Inside Man are not what they may seem, and you'll find yourself not really knowing which side to cheer for when the curtain comes up. In the meanwhile, we flash back to the moment the scheme initiated, where we find Owen and his fellow robbers taking over a Chase Manhattan branch in Manhattan, New York. Keith Frazier (Academy Award winner Denzel Washington) is a NYPD cop who takes over the situation, trying to negotiate with Russell to retreat from the bank, where a hostage crisis quickly begins. But Russell isn't the ordinary criminal. He takes his time, doesn't seem to keen on robbing the place's assets and has all sorts of weird and unrealistic demands from the negotiation team. In comes Madeleine White (Foster), a very mysterious middle-woman who is sent to the scene by the bank's head of trusties, with a strange agenda of her own.
Yeah, I know it sounds cool on the outside, but don't be tricked too quickly  the whole point of this motion picture is to look, sound and feel cool. The resolution is interesting, yet nothing we haven't seen before. If you're looking for a major resolution or for an original idea, don't get your hopes too high. But if you're looking for harmless fun, superb acting and rhythmic direction, and can skip some used ideas; you'll find Inside Man to be a fun ride in the theaters, and a tad bit better than your average matinée.