"I always keep a stimulant handy in case I see a snake - which I also keep handy" - W. C. ...
"I always keep a stimulant handy in case I see a snake - which I also keep handy" - W. C. Fields
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I've seen a couple of films recently which provoked entirely different reactions in me, largely due to the expectations I had of them. I went into one hoping for something and it let me down badly. I went into "Inside Man", knowing very little about it and not really knowing what to expect and had a great time.
Dalton Russell has planned what he feels to be the perfect bank robbery. All that he needs to do is to carry it out and get away with it. That's going to be easier said than done, as Detective Keith Frazier is determined to stop him getting away with it, especially as he has a large number of hostages in the bank with him. Detective Frazier is keen to get the hostages out in one piece, whilst ensuring that the robbers come out into custody and the contents of the bank don't come out at all.
In the mean time, the President of the bank is particularly concerned that one part of the bank goes untouched during the robbery. He's not concerned about all the money or the welfare of those of his employees who have been taken hostage. He has something of his own in that bank and would like it to be left exactly where it is. So he hires Madeline White, who is a trouble shooter with some pretty powerful connections and who has a reputation for getting things done. She cares about nothing but protecting her clients interests and does not care about getting the hostages out alive or stopping the robbers cleaning out the rest of the bank. With so many conflicting interests who, if anyone, can achieve their aims?
The best thing about "Inside Man" is that it's a very well written story. There are so many characters with so many different aims, many of them the
hostages who just want nothing more than to be out of there, that you can never really settle into who is chasing what. Dalton Russell, the main bank robber, does seem like a pretty reasonable chap at some points and there are times where even he, as a bank robber, doesn't seem to be as bad a person as Arthur Case, the bank President or as emotionless and cold hearted as Madeline White. This means that the viewer is always kept on their toes, trying to figure things out.
The film seems to dot about with the chronology as well, switching from the story of the heist to interviews between Detective Frazier and some of the people we already recognise as hostages. For me, this shift did give away what I thought was an important plot point. I was half right, in that what that gave away was what I thought it was, but wrong in that the importance of what it had given away wasn't as great as I had believed. There are so many stories going on at once in this film that it leaves you guessing all the way through. As someone who doesn't particularly enjoy no-brainer films, this was a delight to me personally, as it kept me thinking and concentrating all the way through, which is just the kind of film I like. Even at the end, it leaves scope for the viewer to wonder about various points, so it sticks in your mind long after the final credits have rolled.
It's not just the plot that is the strength of this film, but the script as a whole. There are some very snappy lines here and there and some highly amusing moments. There aren't enough funny moments for the film to count as a comedy thriller, but there are some really good lines peppering the script. I think it is the script rather than the acting that deserves the most credit for much of the blurring of the lines between who is really the bad guy in the film. In the case of Dalton Russell, he switches from shouting and swearing to having polite and even friendly conversations with some of the hostages and Detective Frazier, which makes it very difficult to show whether you should like him or hate him.
In most films, you would be able to credit the acting for this kind of confusing but, despite the number of major stars in this film, I was never entirely convinced that there was a lot of great acting in this film and some of the casting didn't sit quite right with me, either. Clive Owen as Dalton Russell played the rile very much like his previous star turn as Dwight in "Sin City", in that he was frequently mean and moody and there wasn't a huge amount of variation of tone of voice or his facial expressions. This meant that he was more convincing as the nasty robber than he was as the nice guy.
Denzel Washington did quite well as Detective Frazier, but seemed a bit old for his Police rank. He was the one person who convinced that he was upset when things weren't going their way, although despite all the smart lines and him seeming to know what he was doing, he never came across as totally likeable, further blurring the line between the good guys and the bad guys. However, the least convincing of all were Jodie Foster as Madeline White, who didn't seem like the kind of person who could achieve the kind of results and influence someone like Dalton Russell. She did manage to pull off that kind of slimy arrogance that people in power can sometimes have, but without ever proving that she had much power at all. Willem Dafoe seemed like far too major an actor to have as Captain Darius, as the role was mostly little more than as a foil for Denzel Washington. Far more suited was the less know Chiwetel Ejiofor as Detective Mitchell who, being younger and not as well known, was well cast for a role that was essentially little more than standing next to Denzel Washington.
The film's major let down for me, however, was some of the music. I'm not one who generally notices the music in a film, preferring to concentrate on the visuals, but the music here was a little too loud and overbearing at a few points and made me notice it. It tended to overpower the action, rather than complementing it and there was one moment where I thought I was watching "Goldfinger", as the combination of music and what was on the screen was very similar to the music in a Bond film.
Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the film. Having no preconceptions or expectations going in was certainly a wise move, as it meant I was unlikely to be disappointed. However, even had I been expecting something, the way the film kept you from guessing what exactly was going on at most points would most likely have still enthralled me. The way the story, with its bluffs and double bluffs and frequent mis-directions kept the audience slightly off balance throughout was something I found very refreshing.
In many ways, this isn't all that good a film. But in terms of the story, it's one of the most intelligent films of its type I have seen in a long time. It's certainly well worth the price of a cinema ticket and, if you've missed it this time around, well worth the rental price of the DVD when it becomes available. I'm already considering a DVD purchase when I can, as "Inside Man" is a film I think I could handle watching over and over again.
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Production Year: 2000 - Drama - Director: Giuseppe Tornatore - Original Language: Italian - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Monica Bellucci, Giuseppe Sulfaro, Luciano Federico, Matilde Piana
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
good review. great film. i agree with your notes on the casting and music though. i love spike lee.
Donnie_Brasco 09.07.2006 00:27
I'd not heard of this film until I read your review...it sounds fab! Will let you know what I think once I get round to watching it :)
l-m-n-o-p 17.06.2006 23:52
Aah I was wondering how somebody could give that fine review an "of topic" - you do have to sit back and admire the irony. Although there's no need to be so rude. Great review though, and it sounds really good, I'll have to check it out sometime! ~ Pete
An intelligent thriller with a healthy few twists up its sleeve,The Inside Manmarks ... more
strong, although hardly career-best, work from all concerned.The plot is simple, and hardly fresh. On one side, you have a sophisticated team who walk into a bank, take...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
An intelligent thriller with a healthy few twists up its sleeve,The Inside Manmarks ... more
strong, although hardly career-best, work from all concerned.The plot is simple, and hardly fresh. On one side, you have a sophisticated team who walk into a bank, take...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Denzel Washington, Clive Owen and Jodie Foster star in the action-packed crime thriller, ... more
Inside Man. A tough cop, a clever bank robber and a power broker fuel a dangerous game of cat and mouse full of hidden agendas and explosive surprises. Get ready f...
Advantages: Some nice twists, a great plot and an excellent cast Disadvantages: Pretty good viewing the first time but it's likely it won't be watch again
MattMan101 11.12.2007 (11.12.2007)
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Review of Inside Man (2006) DVD
![Inside Man [DVD] [1985]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78548241.jpg "Inside Man [DVD] [1985]")
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