Inside Man ending explained: What happened to Dalton Russell?

Spike Lee's Inside Man is a crime thriller film released on March 24, 2006. Written by Russell Gewitz, the film was produced by Brian Grazer under the Universal Pictures banner. Here's the official synopsis:

A police detective, a bank robber and a high-power broker enter high-stakes negotiations after the criminal's brilliant heist spirals into a hostage situation.

The film stars Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, and Jodie Foster, among others. Upon release, it became a critical and commercial success, grossing around $186 million. In this article, we will discuss the film's ending and find out the fate of the character Dalton Russell.

What is the plot of Inside Man?

A still from Inside Man (Image via YouTube/Universal Pictures)

Inside Man begins in New York City, where several masked men barge into a bank and take everyone hostage. They also start demolishing the bank's storage room. Meanwhile, cops surround the area and start negotiating with the robbers. The entire story then focuses on the robbery and the cops' attempts to stop it.

How does Inside Man end?

Inside Man ends with Dalton Russell (played by Clive Owen) escaping from the bank through the front door, as he had earlier told he would to Detective Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington), while carrying a bag full of diamonds. We then move to the monologue Russell had delivered in the film's opening, where he spoke about the perfect heist. He had recorded it inside the bank with fake walls behind him. The story then jumps a week from the robbery when Russell shows up with bags full of diamonds along with the safe deposit box of Case (Christopher Plummer). He crosses paths with Frazier, but the latter fails to recognize him. He enters the car with people who helped him rob the bank.

Frazier finds a ring inside the deposit box, with instruction to follow the ring. After that, he meets Case regarding the investigation into war crimes. The film ends with Frazier finding a diamond in his pocket when he gets home. It turns out Russell had quietly put the stone in his pocket when they crossed paths outside the bank. This was his way of rewarding Frazier for his honesty. The two had interacted quite a bit during the robbery, and Russell had developed a sense of respect for the detective for his honesty.

Prior to this scene, we see him getting a certification for his work. He had been planning to move with his girlfriend to a new home because their current house was small. However, he didn't have enough resources and was relying on his promotion to get money for shifting home. The ring would surely solve his financial problems.

While Russell claims that his crime was victimless, it doesn't hold water if one examines the events from the hostages' point of view, who were harassed in the bank. Meanwhile, White (Jodie Foster) and Case also face the music of Russell's plan. As the film ends, Russell walks scott-free despite robbing a bank.

What do you think of the film's ending?