Inside Man - Movie Reviews

Inside Man is an electric, pulpy crime thriller that only Lee could make, and Washington just gets to operate in such a thrilling space as he tries to save the day amid quite a tense situation.

Full Review | Sep 6, 2023

A straight-forward but enthralling caper that does right by its characters while offering Lee the wiggle room to poke at a few social issues along the way.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 22, 2022

Inside Man is a run-of-the-mill heist film, something that merely fills up time, directed by Spike Lee.

Full Review | Feb 14, 2021

The best of its kind since The Usual Suspects.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | Jul 31, 2020

The interweaving of backstory and some taut subplots deepen the action, orchestrated with such precision that each scene innately ratchets up the stakes from its previous frame.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Jun 29, 2020

Foster's slick performance as "fixer" Madeleine White adds to the intrigue and suspense, along with the supporting characters...

Full Review | Mar 31, 2020

Lee handles the strong cast and Russell Gewirtz's screenplay with precision. This is the director's best work since 1998's He Got Game.

Full Review | Original Score: A- | Nov 20, 2019

Director Spike Lee's most polished effort in years is a gripping thriller with strong performances.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | May 30, 2019

It appears to be a heist movie, but it's too slow for the genre, and the tension keeps slackening into comedy... There are plenty of plot twists, but the comedy is much better than the tension was ever going to be.

Full Review | Nov 6, 2018

The ending has some plotting issues-much of this perfect execution seems to rest on coincidence and/or the intelligence level of the law types dealing with it-but everything up to it is well-made and entertaining. A fine summer rental.

Full Review | Jul 11, 2016

It doesn't seem to play to his strengths yet it's a perfect crucible for Spike to explore his pet themes of race and class in the lumpy melting pot of New York City and a great set-up for what he does best...

Full Review | Feb 12, 2016

The lack of characterization of the robbers, while true to the structure of the story, makes it seem a bit flat. At the end of the day, it's not really about anything; it's just a bunch of stuff that happens. But it's a bunch of stuff that's fun to watch.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Mar 27, 2011

An intelligent, invigoratingly airtight caper and a love letter to New York on crumpled, coffee-stained paper, "Inside Man" is the best kind of Spike Lee joint - one where he doesn't stumble over his sledgehammer before swinging it.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Sep 24, 2010

A limp ride that, for all the shove of the camera and the grabby intimations of buried corruption, is no different from a John McTiernan Joint

Full Review | Aug 30, 2009

... remains consistently watchable as a mechanical exercise.

Full Review | Jun 19, 2009

With great performances by Washington, Ejiofor, and Owen, this is a bank robbery thriller that will keep you in your seat.

Full Review | Apr 29, 2009

Since bankrupting his film production company with dreadful movies like "Bamboozled" and "He Hate Me" Spike Lee now works as a Hollywood gun-for-hire creating a blasé and muddy suspense police drama.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Apr 20, 2009

Inside Man is the Spike Lee film for people who don't go to see Spike Lee films, and it's also a fun treat for people who see everything the man does.

Full Review | Feb 27, 2009

[A] wily thriller, which revitalizes a familiar premise by turning it inside out.

Full Review | Apr 29, 2008

As unexpected as some of its plot twists is the fact that this unapologetic genre movie was directed by Spike Lee, who has never sold himself as Mr. Entertainment. But here it is, a Spike Lee joint that's downright fun.

Full Review | Nov 1, 2007