the "inside" scoop

Last weekend Jimbo and his girlfriend saw the movie Inside Man. If you are thinking about seeing a movie today, and can’t decide which one, I’d recommend you see this one.

First of all, there is a great cast. Usually one can’t go wrong seeing a movie if Denzel Washington is in it. I first noticed Clive Owen as “the driver” in those wild-assed BMW commercials. You remember the ones. They also starred Don Cheadle, Little Richard, James Brown, Marilyn Manson, F. Murray Abraham, and many more. Any movie with Owen in it is also worth seeing. Jody Foster and Christopher Plummer were also good in this movie.

And, of course, if Spike Lee is the director, it’s likely to be something one doesn’t want to miss. I’ve been a fan of Spike Lee ever since he played the character Mars Blackmon and directed She’s Gotta Have It way back in 1986. I enjoyed School Daze, Do The Right Thing, Summer
of Sam and my favorite has always been He Got Game, also with Denzel Washington.

In Inside Man, the story is about Owen’s character, with a group of accomplices, robbing a bank and Washington playing the police detective who matches wits with him. There is a standoff with Owen holding a number of hostages and Washington trying to diffuse the situation. Of course, we find out that Owen’s goal is not the money, but the principal of the thing, although he ends up considerably more wealthy than he starts out.

As in He Got Game, Lee uses the technique of the full-screen close-up, focused in so tightly on the faces of his actors that we can see any flaw or blemish. Washington and Owen are engaged throughout most of the movie in a psychological duel—both trying to gain the upper hand. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you about some of the good parts, because it might spoil the movie for you. You’ll just have to trust me on this one.

Because we’d never lead you astray here in Jimbo’s world.