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‘Inside Man’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan

March 15, 2021 · Inside Man (2006) · Crime · Drama · Mystery · 1:29:30 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes: bank robbery setup, Clive Owen's cell phone anger scene, first Jodie Foster-Christopher Plummer scene, video game scene, and first Clive-Denzel phone call▶ 34:41

Dion Waiters Award

Bill SimmonsMakes reference to 'what stage is the best' and discusses Albanian characters in movies generally▶ 47:10

What's Aged the Best

Bill SimmonsCamera tricks including Denzel's dolly shot, Nazi plot twists in heist movies, Denzel's interactions with hostages, Ken Leung's performance, and ad-libbed dialogue▶ 49:04
Chris RyanThe Terence Blanchard jazz score, noting it would likely be replaced by 35 songs if made today▶ 50:32
Sean FennesseyA.R. Rahman's 'Chaya Chaya' song, praising Spike Lee for being ahead of the Hollywood-Bollywood trend by 2-3 years▶ 50:53

Casting What-Ifs

Bill SimmonsDenzel WashingtonDiscussed Ron Howard as original director, Denzel Washington turning down Clive Owen's role due to disguise/mask requirement, Owen nearly turning down role for same reason, Amir Ali Saeed cast from Chappelle Show sketch, and Marcia Jean Kurtz cast as callback to Dog Day Afternoon▶ 52:58
Chris RyanAdded that another Dog Day Afternoon actor (the pizza delivery cop) was also cast in the movie, noting there are two Dog Day actors total▶ 54:07

Joey Pants Award

Bill SimmonsPeter GeretyPeter Guybert as the mayor▶ 54:36
Chris RyanPeter GeretySuggests Ashley Atkinson, Chill Mitchell, and Peter Garrity as Denzel's boss as options, calls Garrity 'the ultimate that guy'▶ 55:18
Sean FennesseyPeter GeretyAcknowledges Peter Garrity as an all-time that guy from Homicide and The Wire, also mentions Ken Lung▶ 55:19

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill SimmonsShared multiple facts: Spike Lee and Willem Dafoe met in men's room during Julius Caesar intermission and decided to work together; filmed at 20 Exchange Place (former Wall Street bank/cigar bar); Cartier Diamond Ring was real ($1.5 million, borrowed for 3 days); Gangsters is Genocide video game created because Spike was bummed by Grand Theft Auto▶ 59:40

Apex Mountain

Bill SimmonsClive OwenClive Owen - yes (2006 with Children of Men and Inside Man), 21st Century Jodie Foster - yes, Winston Wolfe from Pulp Fiction for fixers (over Michael Clayton)▶ 1:10:08
Chris RyanHarvey KeitelJuicy Fruit - yes, agrees with Winston Wolfe being better fixer than Michael Clayton▶ 1:10:59
Sean FennesseyHarvey KeitelWinston Wolfe from Pulp Fiction for fixers - argues it's better than Michael Clayton▶ 1:11:16

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill SimmonsWhy burn the Nazi thing instead of destroying it completely; how does Clive Owen know about it; what does Jodie Foster's character actually do for work; would Winston Wolf have done a better job; can you name countries that border Albania▶ 1:20:39
Chris RyanThe Nazi thing is his original sin that he can't wipe away; Haim the professor likely traced the diamonds to figure out the banker connection▶ 1:20:45
Sean FennesseyWinston Wolf would unquestionably have done a better job - would get Clive Owen to hand over the deposit box within 20 minutes▶ 1:23:02

Who Won the Movie

Bill SimmonsDenzel WashingtonAgrees with Spike but emphasizes this is a great Denzel period/stretch▶ 1:26:32
Chris RyanDenzel WashingtonDiscusses this as the good version of what Denzel would later do in lesser movies▶ 1:27:00

Movies Referenced (64)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
Den of Thieves (2018)IMDb ↗Lb ↗8Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 18:28
Michael Clayton (2007)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 7:21
Fast Five (2011)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:14:23
Pulp Fiction (1994)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 1:11:19
25th Hour (2002)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 2:45
Babel (2006)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 23:14
Children of Men (2006)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 5:57
Deja Vu (2006)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 9:25
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 18:24
Green Book (2018)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Sean Fennessey▶ 28:34
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 23:18
Malcolm X (1992)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 26:23

Directors Referenced (11)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Spike LeeIMDb ↗Lb ↗41Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris RyanDo the Right Thing, Malcolm X, She's Gotta Have It▶ 2:25
Ron HowardIMDb ↗Lb ↗9Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean FennesseyA Beautiful Mind▶ 12:16
Michael MannIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill SimmonsThe Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans▶ 30:36
Oliver StoneIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris RyanBorn on the Fourth of July, Platoon, JFK▶ 31:16
Sidney LumetIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey12 Angry Men▶ 2:43
Woody AllenIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Chris Ryan, Bill SimmonsAnnie Hall▶ 2:58
Clint EastwoodIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsMillion Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven▶ 23:37
John HoustonIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 27:04
Mike NicholsIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris RyanThe Graduate▶ 7:51
Norman JewisonIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsIn the Heat of the Night, Moonstruck▶ 30:07
Stephen FrearsIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsDangerous Liaisons▶ 23:37

Actors Referenced (54)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Clive OwenIMDb ↗Lb ↗26Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean FennesseyChildren of Men, Gosford Park▶ 5:31
Denzel WashingtonIMDb ↗Lb ↗23Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 6:36
Jodie FosterIMDb ↗Lb ↗20Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris RyanThe Silence of the Lambs, Taxi Driver▶ 10:34
Willem DafoeIMDb ↗Lb ↗10Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris RyanSpider-Man▶ 16:37
Christopher PlummerIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris RyanThe Insider▶ 10:34
Al PalagoniaIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Sean FennesseyHe Got Game, 25th Hour▶ 46:48
Crazy TownIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Chris RyanSomething's Gotta Give▶ 1:14:10
Chiwetel EjioforIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons12 Years a Slave▶ 10:39
Daniel Day-LewisIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Chris RyanThere Will Be Blood, The Last of the Mohicans, Lincoln▶ 1:05:28
IsoIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 39:23
James RansomIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Chris RyanHouse at the End of the Street▶ 57:19
Jason StathamIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris Ryan, Sean FennesseyCrank, Furious 7, The Meg▶ 7:37

Writers Referenced (4)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Roger EbertIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 21:01
Malcolm XIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Sean Fennessey, Bill SimmonsMalcolm X▶ 26:23
Tony GilroyIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Sean FennesseyMichael Clayton, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story▶ 7:21
Brian GrazerIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris RyanA Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13▶ 12:10