Inside Man (2006)
Where to Watch
- Before Denzel Washington was cast, several major A-list stars turned down the lead role because they felt the script was too risky.
- The incredible score for Inside Man was composed in just a few weeks after the original composer dropped out.
- Many of the practical effects used in the climax were achieved without any CGI.
Inside Man is a 2006 American crime thriller directed by Spike Lee. Denzel Washington stars as Detective Keith Frazier, a hostage negotiator called to a meticulously planned bank robbery at a Manhattan Trust branch where the robber Dalton Russell, played by Clive Owen, has sealed himself inside with dozens of hostages. As Frazier attempts to negotiate, he realizes Russell's demands don't make sense β he isn't asking for money, escape, or amnesty β and that the bank's chairman Arthur Case, played by Christopher Walken, has sent a mysterious fixer played by Jodie Foster to protect a secret hidden in the vault that is more valuable than cash.
Spike Lee crafted one of the most intelligent and entertaining heist films of the decade, a puzzle box that rewarded attention and defied expectations at every turn. The film's structure β intercutting the siege with post-event police interviews β created a mystery within a mystery. Inside Man earned $184 million worldwide on a $45 million budget.
