Inside Man (2006)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Graham J

  
  A new area for Lee, this exciting thriller features great performances but also Lee is still able to inject his usual social commentary subliminally, this is Spike Lee's late masterpiece.

• Kase V

  
  Spike Lee's 'Inside Man' is a pulse-pounding ride that has plenty of entertainment value. This script is top-notch, and Lee really uses it to his advantage to flesh out everything the story has to offer. Performances from Owen and Washington will keep you entranced the… More
  Spike Lee's 'Inside Man' is a pulse-pounding ride that has plenty of entertainment value. This script is top-notch, and Lee really uses it to his advantage to flesh out everything the story has to offer. Performances from Owen and Washington will keep you entranced the entire film, but Foster was laughable. I could not take her character seriously, and its sometimes hard to watch. Plummer did nice as a rather small but important character. The cinematography was fine as well. Crisp editing made it easy to distinguish between the crime and the interviews, scenes of the movie that were very well done. Also, the best and most interesting villains are the ones that are smart, crafty, and acted very well. Think of the 'Dark Knight's Joker, for example. And Owen played that part perfectly. A great script is vital for great entertainment, and there is plenty of that here.

• Brad W

  
  Spike Lee hasn't had a hit in a long time, here he brings us back the magic. The acting is good in this movie but Clive Owen steals the show. The plot is genius and not just a hostage movie, but something much more. The music was really good but sometimes it was a little… More
  Spike Lee hasn't had a hit in a long time, here he brings us back the magic. The acting is good in this movie but Clive Owen steals the show. The plot is genius and not just a hostage movie, but something much more. The music was really good but sometimes it was a little weird. I lived Inside Man.

• Dan S

  
  An energetic, fast-paced bank heist thriller concerning a cop (Denzel Washington) looking to free himself of a "dirty" label that has been attached to his name, who is put on the case of a bank robbery, where the robbers (led by Clive Owen) demands or motives remain largely… More
  An energetic, fast-paced bank heist thriller concerning a cop (Denzel Washington) looking to free himself of a "dirty" label that has been attached to his name, who is put on the case of a bank robbery, where the robbers (led by Clive Owen) demands or motives remain largely in the dark. The scenes between Washington and Owen alone merit it a view, but Lee's stylistic choices work wonders for the most part. Yes, it gets a little to preachy and there's the obligatory racial take on New York City, but this is mostly terrific stuff. Not Lee's best film, but certainly an impressive entry into his filmography.

• Christopher A

  
  Smart and clean, the Inside Man is probably the most engaging Bank Robbery flick out there and will leave you hard at work to figure out what is actually going on throughout, its really that good. The pairing of Denzel Washington and Clive Owen as the good guy / bad guy combo works… More
  Smart and clean, the Inside Man is probably the most engaging Bank Robbery flick out there and will leave you hard at work to figure out what is actually going on throughout, its really that good. The pairing of Denzel Washington and Clive Owen as the good guy / bad guy combo works brilliantly as our loyalties never quite fall on either side fully and herein lies the genius of this film. Even at the end you aren't really sure of the integrity of either character but still end up liking both in their own way. The whole film will keep you guessing until the very end and is so creative, it may even give you an idea or two as to how to rob a bank! "Who ever heard of a bank robbers escaping on a plane with fifty hostages? Why? I don't know. "

• danny d

  
  clive owen and denzel together, they should do this more often

• Albert K

  
  I understand that I am alone in this, but I still stand by my opinion. I was not engaged in this heist thriller. Did not enjoy the score. Loved the cinematography and the acting, but the plot failed to impress and draw me in.

• Daniel P

  
  This wasn't as good as people had told me it was (maybe because I watched it on TV, with commercials?), but it was still a fine action movie. Lee makes some interesting visual choices and as a whole the cast is good - surprisingly, I found the only underwhelming performance came… More
  This wasn't as good as people had told me it was (maybe because I watched it on TV, with commercials?), but it was still a fine action movie. Lee makes some interesting visual choices and as a whole the cast is good - surprisingly, I found the only underwhelming performance came from one of my favourites, Jodie Foster. She just seemed kind of flat. Plot-wise, there are some unconventional twists, and you are still guessing until the end. Bummer that the sequel's not happening after all, the ending is open to it. As worth watching as any other Denzel Washington movie: very.

• Jeff "

  
  I usually hate Spike Lee films. I find his films preachy and sentimental, and personally, I have little respect for the guy. I find him arrogant, rude, obnoxious. And if you hate his films, you're automatically a racist. Well I've hate a lot of his work. Do The Right Thing,… More
  I usually hate Spike Lee films. I find his films preachy and sentimental, and personally, I have little respect for the guy. I find him arrogant, rude, obnoxious. And if you hate his films, you're automatically a racist. Well I've hate a lot of his work. Do The Right Thing, I found it preached a conflicting message of rights. I thought that film was very hypocritical. Anyways, I'm not writing a review for that film just yet. Inside Man is a drastic departure for Lee as it is a heist film, not a civil rights films. Which I thought was a bit weird. But this was a surprise. A good little heist film, but not the best, this film feels like it's been done before. Done before, and done better. The cast assembled here is well chosen.

• Lady D

  
  Certainly one of the most creative bank robbery style films out there and in my opinion Owen's best role to date. A cleverly plotted robbery and enjoyable interaction between Robber and Detective (Owen and Washington). Definitely a recommendation.

• Jay H

  
  Poor scripting, mediocre acting, but neat premise. Still don't understand how this could be liked by so many.

• Al S

  
  It's a first-rate no-holds-barred crime-thriller. Sizzling, crackling, smart and totally engaging. A piercing bullet of suspense and excitement. It will keep you on the edge with it's brain and everything you can want in a movie. You'll be guessing right till the end.… More
  It's a first-rate no-holds-barred crime-thriller. Sizzling, crackling, smart and totally engaging. A piercing bullet of suspense and excitement. It will keep you on the edge with it's brain and everything you can want in a movie. You'll be guessing right till the end. An awesome cast. Denzel Washington and Clive Owen give superb performances. With these two great actors going head to head crossing wit and intensity is like watching a dream come true. A great all-star cast. Jodie Foster gives a tough, confident and terrific performance. Christopher Plummer, Chiwetel Ejifore and Willem Dafoe also give great performances. Movies dont get any better than this. Wickedly cool and satisfyingly ingenious. Director, Spike Lee crafts his best film in years. It stands with the 25th Hour and Malcom X. It's a well-executed and perfectly crafted heist picture. It's Heat meets The Negotiator.

• Jens S

  
  One of the most brilliant heist movies of recent years about a bank robbery where things are never like they seem to be. A great cast delivers excellent performances and dialogues, even though Jodie Fosters character could easily have been left out it's still a nice addition to… More
  One of the most brilliant heist movies of recent years about a bank robbery where things are never like they seem to be. A great cast delivers excellent performances and dialogues, even though Jodie Fosters character could easily have been left out it's still a nice addition to Clive Owen and Denzel Washington being awesome, especially in their first phone conversation with each other. Saying more than that about the plot twists should already be against the law. Even though the movie maybe could have been 10 minutes shorter, it is nice how detailed and clever it is. The Bond-esque soundtrack is wonderfully pompous, the camera work outstanding. Intelligent, exciting and entertaining: Not Spike Lee's most important film, but easily his best.

• Lewis C

  
  This is one of my favorite Spike Lee joints, one of my favorite Denzel Washington movies, and one of my favorite heist films. Spike didn't get too heavy-handed with his usual trademarks, and allowed the clever story and the talented actors to carry the movie. It works very well,… More
  This is one of my favorite Spike Lee joints, one of my favorite Denzel Washington movies, and one of my favorite heist films. Spike didn't get too heavy-handed with his usual trademarks, and allowed the clever story and the talented actors to carry the movie. It works very well, because of this. Inside Man has one of the best casts that I can think of. Jodie Foster, Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, and several other great actors would be a near-guarantee of quality in any movie, especially when they're paired with a good script and a good director. I hope that the eventual sequel will also be this good.

• Conner R

  
  Inside Man is a perfectly crafted heist film from Spike Lee. It has a great sense of pace and has one of the best plots of its kind. Clive Owen is the ultimate bank robber with no time for mistakes. It has all of Spike Lee's great film-making techniques and his great unique… More
  Inside Man is a perfectly crafted heist film from Spike Lee. It has a great sense of pace and has one of the best plots of its kind. Clive Owen is the ultimate bank robber with no time for mistakes. It has all of Spike Lee's great film-making techniques and his great unique style.

• Film C

  
  Oooooh sexy stylish movie. i love it! fantastic cast fantastic acting and a fantastic storyline that gives you twists and turns like you'd never believe and at the end you think wow that is awesome. really good movie about a bank heist that is smarter than any other bank heist… More
  Oooooh sexy stylish movie. i love it! fantastic cast fantastic acting and a fantastic storyline that gives you twists and turns like you'd never believe and at the end you think wow that is awesome. really good movie about a bank heist that is smarter than any other bank heist in the world with clive owen playing the theif! its a brilliatn clever stylish sexy entertaining and seriously enjoying movie that shouldnt be missd at all!

• Anthony L

  
  A decent 'Bank Job' movie with an original twist.

• Sarah G

  
  Review to come at some stage

• Thomas B

  
  this is an extremely clever movie. the actual robbers of the bank have a near-flawless plan to steal something which actually isn't there, which naturally makes it that much easier to steal. jodie foster is a great edition to the cast and the movie ends with the audience's… More
  this is an extremely clever movie. the actual robbers of the bank have a near-flawless plan to steal something which actually isn't there, which naturally makes it that much easier to steal. jodie foster is a great edition to the cast and the movie ends with the audience's jaw on the floor with a surprising coda which will leave you stunned.

• Craig S

  
  <u><b>Directed by:</u></b> Spike Lee. <u><b>Starring:</u></b> Clive Owen, Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster. <i><< "My name is Dalton Russell. Pay strict attention to what I say because I choose my words carefully and I… More
  <u><b>Directed by:</u></b> Spike Lee. <u><b>Starring:</u></b> Clive Owen, Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster. <i><< "My name is Dalton Russell. Pay strict attention to what I say because I choose my words carefully and I never repeat myself. I've told you my name: that's the Who. The Where could most readily be described as a prison cell. But there's a vast difference between being stuck in a tiny cell and being in prison..." >></i> <b>Review may contain spoilers.</b> The story starts with a man in a cell, he tells us how he is planning the perfect bank robbery, and then enters a gang into a Manhattan bank, they hold people hostage, work fast and know what they are doing. From there, a smart, but unlikely detective with a history is put on the case as the negotiator. A man named Arthur Case is then called upon, the banks president, who is told that one of his banks is being robbed; he instantly becomes focused on only one thing, a safe deposit box at that bank...numbered, but not in record. He wants more than anything for this box to remain safe or disappear forever, so he hires a strong minded broker to help him. Confrontation of these characters occurs and we are slowly shown what exactly this robbery is all about. Newcomer Russell Gewirtz turns in a script that appears conventional and mainstream at first glance, but it proves to be so much more than that. In a film based on a bank robbery, you would expect the film to focus on just that, this film doesn't. Now many will see this as a bad thing, which might explain why the mainstream audience didn't quite take this film well, but all I can do to them is point the finger. Russell's screenplay is so amazingly well written and crafty, he starts the film with an address from the main bank robber, he tells us to listen carefully, so we do, he tells us a little about when, where, how and why, but we are left in the dark on knowing exactly what he means, from there the plot twists and turns at every corner, proving to be smarter and stronger each time, until one of the shocking ends that explains it all...this is about the time where you slap yourself for not having guessed it earlier, this just shows us how clever he is and how he works the script around our minds, playing us right up until the final scene, a sign of a truly engaging thriller. Not only that, he provides a lot of character confrontation (which Spike Lee works wonders with), gives them strong dialogue and wit and the great thing is that these characters prove to be very smart, witty and interesting. Spike Lee was the strange choice for such a film, I can't deny, he is a brilliant director, but I couldn't see what a man such as himself could bring to the plate. He shuts us up and shows us that he can create an amazingly well crafted film on any budget or genre, from his earlier independent classics to his more recent 25th Hour...and now Inside Man. He chooses some brilliant camera angles and shows such professionalism and directs with such energy...and he can't help but throw in some flair and references to Film-Noir, include some 'in-your-face' humor and some of his brilliant trademark shots. The acting trio in this film is some of the best actors in Hollywood, Clive Owen is hidden for most of the film but his voice and deliverance of his dialogue prove to be strong and captivating, Denzel Washington is...well Denzel Washington, but that's a brilliant thing. He delivers spot on performances in everything he does, no matter how similar they may be, and aside from Training Day, this is one of his most fitting roles and he proves, as always, to be a powerful leading man. Jodie Foster is more of the 'sub-actor' here, seeing as she is in few scenes and on screen no more than about 15 minutes...but as we all know by now, she is anything but, a 'sub-actor'. She delivers one the most unlikable roles in the film, but does so with such skill, experience and control. There are also some confrontation scenes between Denzel and Jodie that are electrifying, you are watching two outstanding actors playing at each other with such strong dialogue and it can be quite intense. Out of the many brilliant films made and released last year, some people may have forgotten this, but to be as honest as possible, this film proves to be one the best films of last year...and one of the most deserving. Many people fail to see what makes this film so brilliant, I guess that is what splits dumb from smart, wrong from right and mainstream from the rest of us. <p><b>92/100</b> <i><< "Well detective, there are matters at stake here that are a little bit above your pay grade. No offense"..."Well, why don't you just tell the mayor to raise my pay grade to the proper level, and problem solved." >></i>

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