Inside Man (2006)

Idea: Detective Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington) sees his chance to make first grade detective when he and his partner (Chiwetel Ejiofor) are assigned to a bank robbery turned hostage situation. Frazier thinks he's in control of the bank robber (Clive Owen) until the CEO (Christopher Plummer) hires Madeline White (Jodie Foster) to negotiate instead.

Of course, this movie could have just as easily starred Owen's voice, Washington's hat, and Foster's legs and had roughly the same effect.

Listen, I'm happy to get behind this whole "thrillers for adults" gambit. I'm happy enough to support a Spike Lee joint, especially if the critics seem to agree that it's a pretty savoury one.

Unfortunately, what this movie delivers could not be reasonably classified as "goods". Lee decided to direct like he had just graduated film school (which, wtf? I know you can do better than this), and the result was something so unfocused that it made me feel sick sitting in the back row. I mean literally unfocused. As in, the camera wasn't frequently in focus, the angles were all wrong, and the shots made little sense a lot of the time. You know the way Lee comes across as a smug prick in interviews? I never minded all that much before because it's not like I have to sit next to him while I watch the movie. Sadly, with this he appears to have finally figured out how to get that attitude to translate directly into his films.

Washington, et al, are their general well done selves, but I probably would preferred it if Owen and Washington had come off as reasonably matched. I'm not going to tell you who the movie favours, but I warn you that it comes across as ridiculously unfair to watch. Also, every once and a while I kind of wished that Ejiofor was the star.

Also also, the music was terrible. Yes, Terrence Blanchard, counterpoint is nice. Unfortunately, it has have a point other than one of distracting me from the movie given how out of place it is.

Just a disappointment. C