Spike Lee has never been able to match the lofty heights of Do the Right Thing in 1989. Despite his prolific work rate and quality output over subsequent years (see Malcolm X and He Got Game), the seething intensity and explosiveness of Do the Right Thing has arguably never been matched. That film balanced gritty drama with humor and a socio-political agenda that has stood the test of time, and formed a template that Lee has built upon with mixed results ever since.
Spike Lee Successfully Tackles Genre
Inside Man sees the director tackle genre wholeheartedly in a heist thriller that is gripping from the word go. When a group of masked bandits disguised as painters (led by the ever impressive Clive Owen) holds up a bank, everyone is taken hostage and ransom demands are made. The crime becomes the perfect opportunity for Detective Frazier (Denzel Washington), to further his police career. Meanwhile the bank’s elderly boss Arthur Case (Christopher Plummer), has something to hide in one of the vault’s safety boxes, and so he engages the services of the tough-talking Madeleine White (Jodie Foster), to take charge of the situation before his secret is revealed.
A New Lease on Heist
Inside Man may be pure popcorn entertainment but in a time when the heist film has been somewhat lacking in recent years (save for the fun but far more lighthearted Ocean’s series), it stands out as a masterfully crafted thriller. What is most impressive here is Spike Lee’s direction, which is bursting with energy and momentum. The film doesn’t resort to flashy editing or over-the-top action sequences to bring about this kinetic energy. Rather, it’s the fast-paced plotting, gripping dialogue and characters that do the trick.
To some extent, Inside Man isn’t the most original of films and indeed has been influenced by the films that came before it (such as the classic Dog Day Afternoon). The ending in particular, has proved divisive amongst audiences yet it doesn’t take away from this film’s overall strength and impact as a thriller. And although Lee is working with genre here, it should be noted that he doesn’t do away completely with his political and social commentary, with each of the main players throwing up some interesting questions as to the moral standing of certain public figures within their respective communities.
An All-Star Cast Delivers the Goods
Performances across the board are spot on. Denzel Washington leads the cast with aplomb, and although he’s played the police role many times before, there’s a certain vulnerability and edginess to his character here that’s quite refreshing. Clive Owen's charismatic bad guy is played with intelligence and wit but retains a dangerous edge throughout. Jodie Foster on the other hand will probably polarize audiences with her deliciously over-the-top villainess. She certainly hams it up but looks to be enjoying herself so much that it’s hard not to be won over by her.
Inside Man is by no means high art but it succeeds in being an entertaining hostage drama laced with intelligence and style. Direction, performances and plotting are all above average, and the film is both a welcome return to form as well as a change of pace for Spike Lee. Heist film fans bemoaning the lack of quality output from the genre of late would be well advised to see Inside Man, as it’s surely one of the strongest entries to emerge in recent years.
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