Play Preview Julia Roberts and Clive Owen co-star in this curveball-throwing thriller as a pair of romantically involved corporate operatives who are entangled in a bitter rivalry between two mammoth pharmaceutical companies. Paul Giamatti and Tom Wilkinson convincingly round out the heavyweight cast as warring big pharma CEOs in this intriguing espionage effort from writer-director Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton).
From the viewpoint of plot, I found this film very complicated. Nonetheless, even if you miss some details, you can still enjoy all the twists, especially the very end of the film. Pay attention to the fight occuring in the very start of the film. Then at the end of the film try and recall that fight because at that point the fight makes sense.
Paul Giamatti has found (fallen into ?) a niche as a demoniacal plotter (see Shoot Em’ Up, my favorite Clive Owen flm).
For me the major attraction was hopefully the interaction between Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. Whereas Clive Owen was his usual forceful bad-boy self, Julia Roberts’ delivery seemed a bit flat. Give this film at most a B.
Dispatched to a crime scene where a bank robbery is in progress, police detective Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington) hopes to apprehend the cunning thief (Clive Owen) so he can make his case for a promotion. But when a savvy negotiator (Jodie Foster) with questionable motives arrives on the scene, an already unstable situation threatens to implode. Spike Lee directs this tense action-drama co-starring Willem Dafoe and Christopher Plummer.
“Inside Man” is probably for me the most unusual and original bank robbery movie I have ever seen. Clive Owen does not disappoint. Pay close attention the the very final scene that involves a subtle slight of hand.
Interpol agent Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) and New York Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts) team up to expose a global financial institution’s money laundering, arms dealing and other illegal rackets. But as the pair race from New York to Milan and beyond to pursue their case, they soon discover that the ruthless bank will stop at nothing to continue its profitable activities. Tom Tykwer directs this tense thriller.
Clive Owen plays Clive Owen in this ordinary but entertaining conspiracy suspense film. Of course, considering our current financial bank crisis, it makes sense to cast the banks are the bad guys. Just go with the flow, enjoy some of the easy outs the plot takes (magic realism, anyone ?), sit back and chew your fingernails. The shoot-out in the OK Corral (i.e. the Guggenheim Museum) is not bad.
When the screen finally goes black, stay with the film for the final credits because there are screen flashes of aftermaths.
For my money, if you really want a Clive Owen film that is a lot of fun, do not miss Shoot ‘Em Up. If you want a serious Clive Owen film that is better than “The International” try Inside Man.
Powerful politico Stephen Collins (David Morrissey) is embroiled in a scandal when his
research assistant dies in a freak accident and his former campaign manager Cal McAffrey
(John Simm), now a reporter, realizes the incident may be linked to the death of a drug
dealer. As McAffrey digs deeper, he uncovers a dangerous connection between government
and big business in this exciting conspiracy thriller from the BBC.
This version is a 2-disc, 6-episode British TV series that predates the Hollywood film. Reviews for the film have been lukewarm, but they recommended this TV series that I got from NetFlix. Kathy and I could not wait to see each exciting installment. Acting is excellent. Details are well worked out. But pay attention in this conspiracy thriller. From time to time we would pause the DVD player and confer on whether we really understood what was happening. Even toward the end when things seem to be settling down you should hang on for more surprise.
I cannot recommend this British TV series highly enough.
