Who's The Inside Man?

Rating: Null/10 (5 March 2011)

Revealing any part of the story of Spike Lee's 'Inside Man' is tricky without risking spoilers. It starts off as a first class action thriller and progresses into a cleverly knit heist film full of twists and turns that are layered with depth. While the original plot of Russell Gewirtz's screenplay remains complex and tightly woven, the rich and witty tongue-in cheek dialogues are loaded with subtle humour and sarcasm. Though the background history of the heist itself isn't explored, some interesting hint is provided as the film focuses on the present.
For Spike Lee 'Inside Man' is something different from what he's done earlier and he proves again what a versatile director he is. This is a 'light' film compared to those he's been known for making. He's assembled a top notch cast like Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster, Chiwetel Ejiorfor, Willen Dafoe, Christopher Plummer, each of which does a stand-out job.
On the flip side, with the exception of Keith Frazier and Arthur Case, most of the characters are poorly developed. Yet, one is so involved in the intricacies of the plot that it's easy to overlook this flaw. Due to tight editing the story moves at a fast pace.
'Inside Man' is a well-made film. Lee successfully builds up tension in the atmosphere but he does it against formula as this is far from the usual heist flick. It's definitely one of those movies where you notice new things with each revisitation and so I'll be sure to watch it again.