Inside Man (2006)

Filmmaker Spike Lee's first foray into big-studio genre movies, Inside Man is a twisty thriller that makes up for its flaws with star power and sharp observations about post-2001 New York. With his keen eye for New York City atmosphere and gift for kinetic camerawork, Lee enhances the tension of neophyte scripter Russell Gerwitz's bank heist and the shifting questions of the robbers' identities and motivations during what becomes a very long night in the life of Denzel Washington's initially confident hostage negotiator. Nothing, of course, is as it seems, as even a superficially slick genre narrative becomes fodder for Lee's witty and ominous commentary about racial profiling, class, and the complexities of New York's ethnic melting pot. Perennial Lee leading man Washington is sterling as a detective who refuses to let anything get in the way of doing his job. Washington's nemesis Clive Owen exudes his signature cool charisma as the steely criminal mastermind, while Jodie Foster has a ball playing a powerful woman whose job title remains an utter mystery. Once the standoff ends, though, the energy dissipates and the multiple endings still leave a few glaring holes. Nevertheless, Lee still succeeds in pulling off the neatest trick of all: making Inside Man sleek entertainment with a brain. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide