As a heist movie, Inside Man is a non-derivative take on the genre. With Ocean’s 1X setting the tone for so many hipster-heists, seeing a film not trying to re-create the attitude and tone of that re-imagining was refreshing. Tense, taut, twisting and well-thought out. The surprise ending is a non-surprise but in a surprising way. Maybe it has something to do with the title… Jodi Foster is a fine actress, but I would haver liked to have seen someone else in her role, as I think there something different should have been brought to the screen, an actress with a dark side. Denzel has white teeth. Willem Dafoe was in this, though I am not sure why. Nice to see Daryl “Chill” Mitchell on-screen, considering his spinal injury. Waris Ahluwalia was great. Must there always be a however? Yes. Because this was a Spike Lee Joint, there was a running sub-text and commentary on racial relations. Some of it worked and was appropriate (Waris Ahluwalia’s reason for speaking) some of it was not only contrived but was too obviously threaded in to serve not only as commentary but plot device. Ugh. It is unfortunate, as there is an almost-great movie here without the obvious message.

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