Synopsis
When an armed, masked gang enter a Manhattan bank, lock the doors and take hostages, the detective assigned to effect their release enters negotiations preoccupied with corruption charges he is facing.
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Cast
- Denzel WashingtonKeith Frazier
- Clive OwenDalton Russell
- Jodie FosterMadeleine White
- Christopher PlummerArthur Case
- Willem DafoeJohn Darius
- Chiwetel EjioforBill Mitchell
- Carlos Andrés GómezSteve
- Kim DirectorStevie
- James RansoneSteve-O
- Bernie RachelleChaim
- 91
Entertainment Weekly
The jazzish score, by Lee's music man, Terence Blanchard, is typically intrusive. But the mood is right, the twists are new. And with one casting inspiration, Inside Man furthers the rising stardom of Chiwetel Ejiofor (Serenity). - 90
The Hollywood Reporter
This is the mother lode all action/suspense directors search for and Lee, who usually doesn't work in that genre, has hit it. - 80
New York Magazine (Vulture)
I found myself savoring a thriller (as well as a Spike Lee “joint”) that wasn't, for a change, in my face. - 80
Empire
It's certainly a Spike Lee film, but no Spike Lee Joint. Still, he's delivered a pacy, vigorous and frequently masterful take on a well-worn genre. - 80
L.A. Weekly
The heist at the heart of Inside Man is brilliant, and so is the movie. - 75
Rolling Stone
The suspense crackles, the acting sizzles and the script, by promising first-timer Russell Gewirtz, keeps tossing surprises like grenades. - 70
Variety
A flashy cast, clever script and vibrant showcasing of New York City as the ultimate melting pot are strong plusses for Spike Lee's most mainstream studio venture. - 70
The New Yorker
The more it sags as a thriller, the more it jabs and jangles as a study of racial abrasion.