A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: Inside Man

Date Viewed: 3/25/06

Details:

Denzel Washington

Clive Owen

Jodie Foster

Christopher Plummer

Willem Dafoe

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Director: Spike Lee

Score: +

The Review: Time for a caper, with a twist -- several twists, actually. But then, caper movies have never been simple -- the puzzle is a big part of their charm. Being directed by Spike Lee adds a bit of zest to this one, and clearly this is destined to become a commercial success.

It's a bank robbery -- or at least it starts out that way, or at least it looks like it might be a bank robbery, maybe, possibly. But by using the camera's viewpoint we can see what's happening in the bank, and some of what's going on doesn't make sense. Yes, there are hostages and a tense standoff with the police, but there's an odd flavor about the whole episode -- including who's involved.

Owen plays the mastermind of this carefully-planned and executed crime, a crisp and almost clean counterpoint to Washington's hostage negotiator -- who's called in because the customers present in the bank at the start of the robbery are being held and, perhaps, mistreated. It's a bit unusual to have the criminal who seems focused, contained and more squeaky-clean than the cop whose sanity (as well as his integrity) seems borderline; this curious role reversal plays out subtly as the movie evolves. Plummer plays the owner/president of the bank being jacked, and his private reasons for worry about the actual motives slowly bear fruit. Finally, Foster plays a character that, in previews, gives the impression she might be a covert agent or someone from the FBI or CIA; nothing could be further from the truth. But she comes off more as a smarmy weasel than a tough player. Good legs, though.

(9-Apr-06)

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