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The premise of Spike Lee’s film is relatively simple. A gang of men dressed as painters enters the New York City Bank with the obligatory barrage of vulgar threats and heavy artillery. They are led by Dalton Russell, played with impossible coolness by Clive Owen, and have a definite planned course of action. Before long Detective Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington) arrives at the scene and takes control of the situation.
Washington plays Frazier as an everyman, gaining weight for the role and shaving his head bald. Frazier has commitment anxiety in regards to his long-time girlfriend and problems with some unaccounted-for money from his last case.
Frazier is quick to notice that Russell and his fellow robbers don’t seem to want their demands met, and would much rather just wait it out in the bank. Frazier, through some exciting scenes, must deal with Russell firsthand to try and uncover the real motive for the robbery.
The most unnecessary plot element comes in the form of the bank owner, Arthur Case (Christopher Plummer), who is most disheartened by the bank robbery as his livelihood seems to be located in one of the safety deposit boxes in the bank. We are quick to forgive this section of the plot, however, because it requires him to hire the powerful and resourceful Madeline White, played wonderfully by Jodie Foster. Foster must try and manipulate both Washington and Owen’s characters to make sure that the safety deposit box, and its contents, remain a secret.
A great deal of the film’s strengths come from the performances of the cast. Washington, never a disappointment, seems to hit all the right notes. He is playful at times, using charm to illicit information from his contemporaries, and forceful and dynamic in some excellent scenes with Owen. A particularly strong scene occurs when Frazier and White go for a walk in an attempt to come to an agreement. Both Washington and Foster’s characters have a distinct agenda, and the dialogue is witty and sharp as they each try to gain the upper hand. Much can also be said for the screenplay, by newcomer Russell Gerwirtz, which provides strong dialogue throughout and many opportunities for the actors to show their chops.
The film has the advantage of sticking out from other standard thrillers merely by the virtues of its director, the often controversial Spike Lee. Lee’s name power generates an interest that the film may not carry with a lesser filmmaker. He doesn’t waste our hopes, however, but delivers a jarring surprise to those familiar with his work; a rather standard and commercially viable film.
“Inside Man” doesn’t have the directness and power of some of Lee’s best films, such as the racially driven “Do the Right Thing” or the more recent and unrelenting “25th Hour,” but it delivers sheer and undeniable entertainment value. Lee affords himself various deviations away from the plot that lead to enjoyable moments. In one scene the wandering eyes of Frazier’s partner Detective Bill Mitchell, played by newcomer Chiwetel Ejiofor, get the two detectives reprimanded by a former hostage. Another scene between Owen’s character and a young Bronx child serves as a public service announcement about violent video games.
Lee, known for dealing with racial issues in his films, doesn’t make race the focus, but there is some commentary throughout. There is a Sikh hostage who is angered when he is called an Arab and treated as if he robbed the bank, in spite of his obvious victim status.
There will undoubtedly be a backlash against Lee for his departure from controversial filmmaking, but there is something undeniably enjoyable about watching an acclaimed director who is able to take on a commercial project and cause the material to shine.
In this film, director Lee has taken relatively shallow subject matter and transformed it into something that is far more enjoyable than it should be. While “Inside Man” may not have the depth of his earlier works, it is a polished and entertaining excursion for director Lee, and one that he need not apologize for.
Bangor Daily News