Watched this on Netflix. This is a really clever Spike Lee film, although the storyline wasn't really plausible. That said, I ended up lost at the very end, regarding the diamond in the safe deposit box.
Since the large diamond wasn't taken in the robbery, what did the robbery accomplish? And why no mention of the other smaller diamonds that were taken? What were the war crimes committed the bank owner?
the robbers didn't take the ring, because they wanted the detective to follow it's trace, back to the Holocaust. the family it belonged to didn't survive, but yet there it was, in possession of the man who was supposedly their friend. Clive Owen's character wanted the bank owner Arthur to get exposed, possibly punished. Arthur profited from millions of deaths. the diamonds in the box were just a small fraction. the bank itself, his entire empire were built on the bones of Jews. I'm guessing, the official definition of the crime is that Arthur was a Nazi corraborator
So, what you're saying is that Owen's character knew the history and despised the bank owner and he (along with his co-robbers) basically took the inside job for their personal gain? And Jodie Foster's character knew all along when she spoke of needing to assure that certain interests are protected?
Owen's character and his crew knew that there was a box with contents that their current owner couldn't claim stolen. that is why the case was declared closed by the detective's (Denzel's) boss - that was the only box taken in the robbery, and it didn't even officially exist.
now, Jodi's character didn't know what Arthur's (the banker's) secret was until the final act, but the nature of her job is such that she shows up when someone has something to hide. basically, she always operates with the assumption that her clients are less than kosher
I'd still go with Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X and Jungle Fever ahead of it. Mo' Better Blues as well. it's definitely one of his better efforts since the late 90s. She Hate Me started the trend where Spike the storyteller would seem like he got hit with stupid stick. he's been gettin ambitious and silly confused a lot since the late 90s. Miracle at St. Anna was quite underrated, I thought. for the most part I don't fuck with Spike Lee joints these days though
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