for me an unsatisfactory and unconvincing heist movie . with an a list cast and particularly the three lead and an experienced maverick director like spike lee i be expect far more and in the end felt that what be deliver added little to this movie sub genre . for a start i do not like the pacing of the film and start off with mastermind clive owen raison detre piece to camera and unnecessarily repeat at the conclusion and then find the narrative peppered with confuse and not to say unreal seem witness interview and then find yourself jump into scene you sense have begin earlier . of course the camera work be fluid throughout and constantly on the move and incorporate hand camera shots a plenty and but director lee fails to deliver thrill or suspense and fall down fundamentally by not make anything of the key protagonist in the film . denzel washington be weigh down with the clothes and bad as jive talk of a shaft movie thirty five year earlier ( he even have that no one understand him but his woman thing go on and replete with his hot girlfriend and bait her with some downright crude and inappropriate dirty talk ) and his mild in the heat of the night riff with willem defoe ( in almost a bit part ) raise barely a ripple . clive owen play his character with a resolutely english accent even a be give to believe the gang be arab base and also hinder by have to play 90 % of the film with a mask over his face . jodie foster delivers another of her patented tight lipped and ice maiden and sub clarice starling turn a a well connect financial bounty hunter and if you will and to little effect . overall it a real mish mash of a film and with a light but obvious twist at the end and in fact the title give it away from the start and spoiler fan . bad scene ( of many ) be undoubtedly washington witness interview and unbelievably and with an 8 year old street kid and although owen dialogue with the same child minute earlier run it close in the embarrassment stake . during the film in joke reference be make by character to classic heist film like serpico and dog day afternoon but there no honour in self praise . more like the hot rock instead . and even that be good for a few laugh .