Rating of
2.5/4
"Inside Man" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 04/15/12
A cunning bank robber plans the perfect heist and plays a cat and mouse game with hostage negotiator Denzel Washington. Oh, my...the originality. Well, this is a polished Hollywood thriller and I could probably just leave it at that and everyone would know exactly what they were going to get. Spike Lee directs with style and efficiency and there's some smart dialogue between Denzel and the always reliable Clive Owen, heading up a quality supporting cast. But let's face it this formula has been used so many times that the entire film left me with a feeling of Deja Vu, reminding me of everything from Dog Day Afternoon to Swordfish. Even the now inevitable twist failed to produce any surprises and I guessed literally EVERY aspect of the plot well before it happened. Jodie Foster's character also seemed pointless and Lee's trademark comments on contemporary racism seemed watered down for the mass market. Certainly not a bad film though, and if you just want to kick back with your brain in neutral, you could do a lot worse.
