Spike Lee sets aside his usual themes to direct this thriller about a bank robbery and scores - though the film was intended for another director. The film does have a familiar New York setting and a high caliber cast as well as a twisty tale that draws you in.
Dalton Russell (Clive Owen) has planned the perfect bank robbery. At the beginning of the film he’s narrating from what appears to be a prison cell so we imagine that his plan has gone awry, but appearances can be deceiving. We flashback to the robbery as Russell and his team burst into the bank dressed as painters.
They take everyone in the bank hostage and dress them in the same uniforms the robbers are wearing. The police arrive in the form of Detectives Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington) and Bill Mitchell (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Captain Darius (Willem Dafoe). Unfortunately, they can’t tell the robbers from the hostages.
Meanwhile, bank founder Arthur Case (the always reliable Christopher Plummer) is concerned about some items in his safety deposit box, so he hires “fixer” Madeline White (Jodie Foster) to contact the thieves and make arrangements for the contents of the box to remain secret.
Inside Man was originally intended for director Ron Howard, but he dropped out to direct Cinderella Man. Spike Lee was called in as his replacement and it produced one of the most successful films in Lee’s canon. The film is full of twists and turns as well as fine performances from the star-powered cast.
Since the project was intended for a director besides Spike Lee there’s not really the racial subtext that usually are in his films. Perhaps it’s more the cat and mouse plotline between Owen and Washington that puts all of that to the background and not the foreground it usually occupies in a Spike Lee Joint.
It’s good to see a picture that comes together for the director. I know that Buffalo Soldiers, though it was an interesting historical drama, seemed to lack focus and didn’t seem to know where it was going. Here the audience doesn’t know where the heist is going and it builds the tension.
The cast is game and Washington and Owen are not the only two that are great as both Jodi Foster and the rest of the cast excel. I’m biased in that I’d watch Christopher Plummer read the phonebook.
The Blu-ray was supposed to come out in May but was delayed till June when a problem with the audio mix. Lee is planning a sequel sometime in 2010 so it seems a bit odd that it wasn’t held back from Blu-ray to coincide with that release. However, I’d expect a super special edition to show up about that time.
Inside Man is presented in a 1080p high definition transfer (2.35:1). Special features include a commentary with director Spike Lee. The special features are in standard definition.
They include the 10-minute “Making of Inside Man,” the 10-minute “Number 4” talking with Lee and Washington about this being the fourth time they’ve worked together and those projects, and finally there are 20 minutes of deleted scenes. The disc is also BD-Live enhanced, if you have a player capable of going online.
Inside Man is a fine caper film that has lots of surprises in store. The cast is top notch and director Spike Lee puts them through their paces with skill. It’s one of Lee’s more accessible features and a thrilling ride.
Inside Man [Blu-ray] is now available at Amazon . Visit the DVD database for more information.
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