Inside Man

It's always a good time going into the Spike Lee Joint-verse, and Inside Man is particularly solid and gripping... and one that I locked into so much that I highly regret never finishing it years prior. Its starry cast greatly elevates the script: Denzel Washington is a great lead (but when isn't he?) as a detective who strategically works around, and solves, a Wall Street bank robbery. Besides him, I've definitely come around to give full kudos to the supporting cast, with the big standouts being Clive Owen as the mastermind behind the operation and Jodie Foster (whom I wanted to see more of here) as a personal adviser of the bank owner - a bumbling, scheming Christopher Plummer - in a case that seems particularly shady. Something that really stands out here, in contrast to other heist thrillers, is how seamlessly the psychological, and complex, elements are interwoven into the storytelling. It doesn't hurt to have a highly competent filmmaker in Lee, who provides some stylish scene work (like the dolly shot of Denzel - I viscerally levitate seeing bits like that), and the cinematography in general is mesmerizing. However... it wouldn't be a Spike Lee movie if it weren't for some jarring soundtrack choices. The opening song? Mmmmkay. Doesn't stifle the experience I had as a whole though, a well-done Spike Lee Joint™️ by and by.