movie minute

Step Inside

Spike Lee's new movie, Inside Man, is tightly directed and sharply written. It stars Denzel Washington as detective hostage negotiator, Keith Frazier. Frazier is faced with a situation involving a bank robbery with hostages. Ok, I really want to see a movie with Denzel Washington NOT playing a cop or detective or gumshoe of any kind. How about Denzel as a garbage collector or a doorman; anything but someone connected to the police department. Having said that, Washington does a wonderful job as the detective trying to anticipate the next move of the bank robbers. Clive Owen plays Dalton Russell, the leader of the bank robbery and he's not your typical bank robber. He's smart, cool, and clever and very succinct. Jodie Foster completes the main cast as Madeliene White who is brought into the situation by the founder of the bank because he fears something may be stolen from the bank that would be detrimental to him if it got out. Christopher Plummer is Arthur Case, the founder, and Plummer is on the verge of becoming the "he is in everything" actor. When it becomes clear that the bank robbers aren't just after money, Frazier has to find out what they are after and how to stop them. One thing about this movie is the real-life depiction of the police officers. There are many scenes in which they harass and beat first and then ask questions later all the while assuming that everyone is guilty until proven innocent. And there is one disturbing scene in which a Sikh has his turban withheld until he answers some questions.

All of the lead actors are terrific in their roles and Owen's Russell was the one I was rooting for throughout the movie. This is because all of the officers, including Detective Frazier, were slow-witted and very hypocritical. One not so good thing; Owen spends much of the movie with his sexy mug covered by a mask and sunglasses. This is a smart film and Lee definitely does not disappoint. One of the best scenes is the scene with Owen and Foster (their only one together) in which Foster's character White tells Russell what she's after.

A bit violent yet definitely one of Lee's best.

paul