Film Review - Inside Man (2023)

Not quite Goodfellas, based around true events in 1980s New York, Inside Man, aka The Gemini Lounge, is certainly an enjoyable, if not generic infiltration of mobsters tale through the eyes of disgraced detective, now in too deep undercover cop, Bobby ‘bones’ Bellucci (Emile Hirsch).

What props up this gangster drama is decent performances and a series of intense set pieces good enough to hold interest, although ongoing narration from our troubled protagonist is occasionally mundane.

Bobby is on the verge of divorce to beautiful wife Mary (Ashley Greene) whilst deemed to a desk job after finding her with someone else upon arriving home early one day before beating the unknown visitor to a pulp.

On a loose end drinking himself to oblivion, Bobby falls into a notorious, local mobster crowd by helping one out, then becoming friends, prompting Bobby to ask his Captain to go into deep uncover mode to take them down. Not to be confused with the 1996 Spike Lee t, Inside Man; starring Jodie Foster and Denzel Washington, or recent television series of the same name featuring David Tennant.

At its best, this remains a solid dramatic thriller taking viewers into an underworld of mostly small time crooks bustling businesses territorially, until murder and corruption get the better of them.

How ‘true’ proceedings really are, who knows? At least the always evocative Emile Hirsch continues to deliver here alongside pizazz injected Lucy Hale, whom in one her best roles to-date, also has remarkable hair, as Gina.

Lesser known, but equally as dynamic, Kaleina Cordova as Tina gains attention and legendary Robert Davi (Die Hard, No Contest, Showgirls) makes a far too brief appearance as respected and feared top mobster, Anthony ‘Nino’ Gaggi.

Appropriately retro score composed by Lionel Cohen is unique.

A decent crime story on a moderate budget, there’s plenty to devour throughout, the director mostly known for his acting, Danny A. Abeckaser, squeezes enough out of an often disted premise to avoid it being completely dour.