A bank robber and a police detective go head to head in a cat and mouse, big-budget thriller. Standard Hollywood fare. Only this one's from Spike Lee, director of Do The Right Thing and Malcolm X . You'd be forgiven for thinking that maybe he's taken the money and run. Could he possibly have sold out?
Early on it becomes apparent it's churlish to think such thoughts. Continuing his tradition of hard-hitting social commentary, this new "joint" tackles his usual issues of racial hatred and acceptance head on, just with a little more gloss and glamour for good measure.
Opening with an audacious bank robbery and hostage situation, the plot appears simple enough. Dalton Russell (Clive Owen) and his crew are stealing the money of Manhattan Trust and its customers. Dispatched to the scene are Detectives Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington) and Bill Mitchell (Chiwetel Ejiofor) to ensure the safe release of the hostages. But things aren't always what they seem. Russell is every bit the equal of NYPD's finest, always staying one step ahead. Armed with a meticulous plan that the detectives can't fathom, and seemingly uninterested in escaping with the loot, it's going to take everything they've got to stay in the game, especially when the shadowy Madeline White (Jodie Foster) shows up with her own agenda.
Done very much in the style of the classic seventies heist and police dramas, Inside Man is dialogue-heavy and full of old-school camera angles. Factor in unpredictable plot twists and Lee's controversial material; it is anything but your by-the-numbers thriller.
He depicts the streets of post 9-11 New York as a racial pressure-cooker, with racism rife on the streets, and every demographic afforded screen time. It's powerful stuff, grabbing and shocking in equal measure, sometimes cringe-worthy, but always worthy of interest. In another's hands it might have felt conceited but Lee balances perfectly just how much of a message is enough.
First-time screenwriter Russell Gewirtz also deserves high praise for his smart script. The plot is incredibly dense but never appears convoluted. Full of real characters, it also features several exciting set pieces and is punctuated throughout by moments of real humour. It is a grand entrance to the movie world and promises big things.
Denzel Washington is consummate as ever, and continues his extremely successful collaboration with Spike Lee. Clive Owen holds his own against the Hollywood heavyweight, their performances as cop and robber demanding rapt attention. In fact Owen is fast becoming one of Britain's leading actors, and the decision to turn down the pigeon-holing role of James Bond looks wiser by the minute.
Also impressive is fellow Brit Chiwetel Ejiofor. Following on from a highly productive 2005 ( Four Brothers , Serenity , Kinky Boots ) he is looking like a mega-star in the making. Garnering the lion's share of the film's lighter moments, the zinging interplay of one-liners between Ejiofor and Denzel comes as a welcome break from the dramatics of the heist.
Just as the movie's tagline proposes "you can't judge a crime by its cover", you can't judge Inside Man by its inauspicious set-up. There's much more to see here than just an entertaining crime flick. It's glossy Hollywood, yes, but with brains and balls. How all good flicks should be.
Hollywood, sit up and take note. This is how you make a good picture: script up, and talent from start to finish.
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