"Inside Man"
by Sonya Artero


Spike Lee's story of "Inside Man" is a hit of a heist. As the movie's director, Lee pulls off what I believe is a fantastic movie. This flick is packed with powerful surprises that will entertain even the pickiest of audiences.

The movie is visually dynamic, especially during scenes where the tension builds into one surprising scene after the next. Inside Man is a about smart cop named Keith Frazer who is played by Denzel Washington. Denzel goes head-to-head with brilliant bank robber Dalton Russell who is played by the handsome Clive Owen. Adhering to a simple, yet brilliant plan, the bank heist consists of Owen marching straight into a Lower Manhattan bank where his crew quickly takes control over the 20-odd customers and employees by holding them hostage.

Willem Dafoe plays one of the cops that helps Denzel with getting to the bottom of the robber's demands. And just when you think the movie couldn't get any more star-studded, Madeline White who is played by Jodie Foster becomes an integral player in the movie. Foster plays an independent operator employed by the bank's owner, Christopher Plummer, to protect what we later learn are his "corrupt interests".

That's when Denzel comes to the realization that this is by no means a typical bank robbery. The question is, what does the robber really want? There in lies the motive for the robbery that you'll just have to see yourself to figure out how it all plays out. Suffice it to say, the movie will throw you for a loop, but one in which you will enjoy immensely.