Outside Man.

Rating: 3/10 (25 May 2015)

Inside Man (2006): Dir: Spike Lee / Cast: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Christopher Plummer, Jodie Foster, Willem Dafoe: Well made yet standard bank thriller. It is one of those political thrillers that seems promising until it plays out as pieces of superior films. Title refers to the bank robber played by Clive Owen or the hostage negotiator played by Denzel Washington. Despite the unoriginal concept it is flawed with the motive for the robbery and whether it makes much sense. Washington is called in when a hostage situation takes place at a bank and the usual negotiation clichés follow. Washington's forth collaboration with Spike Lee. Lee is a skilled director who has made such cool films as Bamboozled and Summer of Sam. Owen steals the show as the villain who presents surprising elements when clichés attempt to populate. Washington also does good work here bypassing clichés to arrive at a shocking truth. Fine supporting work by Christopher Plummer as bank chairman who has something to hide that renders why the robbers are there. He is in deep regret over a past lifestyle. Jodie Foster is hired by Plummer to deal out certain information until certain facts surface that cause her to question. This is not a bad attempt, thanks to good cast, but perhaps if Lee had an inside man writing the screenplay then his film might not look as bland as it does. Score: 3 ½ / 10