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It's a bank robbery film. A very good bank robbery film, to tell the truth. But the reasons to go to a movie theater and watch THE INSIDE MAN are miles away from the history of a audacious plan to steal a bank. It could be the history of everything you can possible imagine, but its the grouping of Denzel Washington's, Clive Owen's and Jodie Foster's talents that make this film amazing. Of course, it's a Spike Lee joint as we didn't see for a long time. There's no racial speech, there's no political point of view trying to be hammered into your head, it's just entertainment as the audience deserves. Clive Owen has a plan: with three associated friend, he will steal a fortune in a bank – just because he can. Denzel is the detective designed to negotiate the hostage situation and Jodie Foster is a cold woman with a mysterious job: solve her client's problems at any cost, with no questions. The point here is that Clive doesn't want only the money, Denzel is not the infallible negotiator we expect to see and Jodie's client is the owner of the invaded bank. Talk more is spoil the nice surprises of the plot. It's not DOG DAY AFTERNOOM – and there are a few holes in the plot - but it's much more than we are seeing nowadays.

Director/writer Sergio Bianchi adapted a short story from Machado de Assis - one of the finest Brazilian writer in the mid 1800's - to Brazil's mid 90's reality. Here, a group of artists struggle to develop a play. Meanwhile the director/producer tries unsucessfully to get money from the government, the troupe is supposed to do a research on human misery in Brazil. Soon, the egos, the individual interests, the lack of communication between them will look stronger than the sense of group. It could be an interesting movie - but nothing - and i do mean nothing - works! All the actors - even good Brazilian actors - overact. The scenes have no rhythm. The cinematopraphy looks made by someone operating a camcorder. Lights, music, direct sound - forget about it! And there's a disgusting scene of a rattan being tortured that is totally unnecessary. The idea was showing how easily people are becoming indifferent to human suffering, instead you can learn another lesson: how easy a crew with different talents can destroy good ideas.