MOVIE REVIEW - Inside Man (2006)

With an excellent cast in Denzel, Clive, and Jodie, this is a cool bank robbery flick that melds modern day thriller with old school film noir. As complicated as The Maltese Falcon and with several doses of typical noir music; as interesting, intense, and up to date as The Bourne Supremacy; and with just a touch of light-heartedness, almost as cool as Ocean’s Eleven – this is a pretty nifty movie. Brian Grazer and Spike Lee are an interesting combination – I hardly noticed Lee’s fingerprint (thankfully). I really liked all three main characters – Jodie was especially cool, with a mix of dignified and sleazy. I was intrigued when Denzel first enters the bank to talk to the thieves – his character was smart and ballsy. When he came out, he said to his partner, “I got him right where I want him.” Partner: “Where’s that?” Denzel: “Right behind me with my pants down around my ankles, but it’s a start.” I figured out “the escape” fairly early on, but that did not diminish the complicated plot or my enjoyment of the ride. Cool, funny, intense, good movie. Of course, I think I need someone to explain to me what happened.