Lee's 'Inside Man' pulls it off

Detective Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington) and Madeline White (Jodie Foster), a power broker with a hidden agenda, match wits in the film "Inside Man."

Inside Man is an unorthodox heist movie, engaging the mind as well as pumping the adrenaline. Watching this stylish film, you constantly re-evaluate the goings-on: Is this the perfect bank robbery or something far more complex?

Exceptionally well written with clever twists and witty dialogue by first-time screenwriter Russell Gewirtz, Inside Man is adroitly executed by director Spike Lee.

The genre is a departure for Lee, who brings his signature cinematic flourishes to a caper scenario and avoids the formulaic. (Watch for a trademark Lee camera shot with Denzel Washington on a dolly appearing to glide, rather than run, down a New York street.)

The elaborate scheme is initiated by a small group, clad as nondescript painters, who whip out guns and take bank customers hostage. But events don't unfold in chronological fashion. The film flashes forward to interviews of the hostages conducted by a topnotch Washington as a police detective who specializes in hostage negotiation.

The interviews are shot in grainy stock, giving them a gritty look of immediacy. And much of Lee's camera work has a shaky, nervy quality, adding to the film's considerable tension.

The robbers, led by a brilliant Clive Owen, seem to have thought of everything. They dress everyone in identical painters' gear so the police won't be able to tell the suspects from the hostages.

Owen is no ordinary criminal. He and Washington match wits, their tough stances artfully leavened by humor. About halfway through, the mood takes an unusual turn, becoming almost breezy, then whipping back to taut suspense.

As Washington's partner, Chiwetel Ejiofor makes an impact in what could have been a run-of-the-mill role. Willem Dafoe as an NYPD captain and Christopher Plummer as the bank's chairman are solid, while Washington and Owen give standout performances.

Jodie Foster plays a power broker with traces of Silence of the Lambs' steely-smart Clarice Starling augmented by a hefty dose of Machiavellian charm.

Though Foster captures the right mixture of strength and verve, it's a tough character to buy: a mysterious power broker who holds sway over New York's top political brass. Lee always has excelled in his portrayal of male characters, but he has yet to reach similar heights with females.

There are a couple of plot holes, but nothing gaping, and there is plenty to keep the audience guessing.

Inside Man may be a cat-and-mouse game, but it's far from predictable. What could have been a straightforward thriller is unusually clever, visually captivating and unfailingly entertaining.