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Premise: A bank robbery gone right. By the side that robs the bank, that is.
Directed by: Spike Lee
Stars: Denzel Washington * Clive Owen * Chiwetel Ejiofor * Christopher Plummer * Jodie Foster * Willem Dafoe
Review: An excellent bank heist movie. Owen plays the ringleader, Washington the detective trying to resolve the situation. One's a good guy, one's a bad guy. Only thing is, you really like them both.
Owen ostensibly seizes control of a bank, and seems to be way smarter than the police have thought. The criminals all wear identical clothing and force the hostages to do the same. They call each other variations of the same name, so no one knows what the real names are. They know police procedures and what they want from the bank.
Which is the real hook of the movie. Apparently a powerful man (Plummer) has something hidden in the bank and sends Foster to retrieve it. Owen and the thieves can all leave as far as the bank is concerned, as long as Foster returns with the items. While Owen plays mind games with the cops, the rich put pressure on the detectives to resolve the matter quickly.
The movie is played smartly and tightly. Foster is used sparingly, with most of the chemistry in the movie coming from the two leading men and the little backstory there is comes from Plummer and his explanations to Foster and the detective - to which Owen puts an interesting angle.
With great dialogue, great performances from solid actors, and a plot that moves quickly, the film is excellent. One of the best bank heist movies ever.
Overall: Good
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