Occasionally, noted filmmakers want to take a break from the grueling pace and stress associated with think piece dramas in order to kick back and make a fun film. Steven Soderbergh made this jump to create Ocean's 11\ and Steven Spielberg switched up gears to make fluffy fare like ""The Terminal."" Renowned director Spike Lee joins this club with his latest, ""Inside Man.""
""Inside Man"" is a heist film. With that said, the plot plays out in a predictable manner, with Clive Owen's bank robber sparring with Denzel Washington's hostage negotiator. The nature of the heist film places fun, but predictable, plot twists into the mix, adding to the sheer fun.
Lee takes the simple script and runs with it, adding in directorial flourishes straight out of his NYU-inspired playbook. Sure, these cinematic techniques are not required to tell the story, but Lee includes them in order to make ""Inside Man"" a more personal affair. His skill truly makes the film into ""A Spike Lee joint.""
Helping Lee out is the strong acting talent of leads Owen and Washington with an understated but memorable performance from acting chameleon Willem Dafoe. The advertisements trump up Jodie Foster's role, but her mere 10 minutes of screen time contribute little to the plot and the film in general.
Instead, Owen and Washington absolutely dominate ""Inside Man."" As recent films such as ""Sin City"" and ""Closer"" prove, Clive Owen is one of the current generation of cinema's finest actors, and he reaffirms this in ""Inside Man."" His dry humor, developed in the fringe theatres of Britain, makes for a character that is both compelling and incredibly witty in his reactions.
Not to be outdone, co-star Denzel Washington shines in what could have been a bland detective role. Instead, Washington inhabits his character, making him flawed, intriguing and humorous all at the same time. It is quite refreshing to see Washington move out of the mold he had recently fallen into. His Detective Keith Frazier is not the stolid stock character from ""Man on Fire"" or ""Out of Time."" Washington gives Frazier depth that allows ""Inside Man"" to easily rest upon his shoulders.
Based on the strength of the leads and Lee's directing, ""Inside Man"" actually balances the storylines of both the protagonists and antagonists. In most heist films, the fun lies in rooting for the bad guy to pull off the heist. ""Inside Man"" does feature elements like that, as it is incredibly easy to root for Clive Owen to succeed in his genius heist. However, it also gives Washington some flaws that make him seem more human and easy to root for. This dynamic makes for a unique experience in which just about any resolution would satisfy the audience.
Spike Lee could have taken a break for this movie. It does not focus on the heavy material of ""25th Hour"" or ""Malcolm X."" Instead, it concentrates on telling its simple story with cool characters trying to pull off a heist. Lee, Washington and Owen attack the film full force and elevate it from a forgettable heist movie to an extremely entertaining film.
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