(Movie) Inside Man directed by Spike Lee

There are three things that set the tone for this incredible thriller about a very unusual bank robbery. The first is the words spoken by Dalton Russell (Clive Owen), the second is the song “Chaiya Chaiya” which is the opening soundtrack – the familiar song set in the New York setting gives off a strange feeling (though it also strangely fits in), the last is when the actor list rolls in – an immensely exciting delectable roster – Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer, Willem Dafoe. And then you just get the feeling that this is going to be one hell of a movie, a feeling that is more than justified after the two and half hour of drama.

The story at first seems that of a high tech bank robbery but as the words at the start warn you, this is also very different from other such stories. Except a handful of people, the ‘robbery’ befuddles everyone. And the best part of this plot is that even though things start getting clearer as we move on in the story, the best part is left for the last.

Even though the end becomes a little preachy, the movie is fabulous  right from the first frame and never lets up even for a second. Every five minutes something happens that seems to twist the story or some new element is introduced that adds another dimension to the story. There are some some funny elements thrown in the middle – the tape of the Albanian president, a Sikh bemoaning racial stereotyping, all of which adds and does not distract from the action taking place. In fact these elements just keeps the movie from slipping into an all hands down action movie, which makes it even better. Another good part of the movie is that this portrays New York where even a person who knows Albanian lives – not the all white New York of Friends, which gives it a healthy essence of reality.

This is one of the best crime thriller movie I have seen in a long long time. The two and half hour just whizzed by. Great watch…

Labels: Crime, movies, thriller

posted by Protik Basu @ 9:39 AM