From a cell, a man (Clive Owen) tells us he has planned the perfect bank robbery; he invites us to watch. An efficient gang enters a Manhattan bank, locks the doors, and takes hostages. They work deliberately, without haste. Detective Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington) is assigned to negotiate. The bank's president has something to protect in a safe deposit box, so he brings in Madeleine White (Jodie Foster), a high-powered fixer. With an army of police surrounding the bank, the thief, the cop, and the plutocrat's fixer enter high-stakes negotiations. Why are the robbers asking for a plane - they know they won't get one. Why aren't they in more of a hurry? If the job's perfect, why is the thieves' leader in a cell?

otsoNY Comments: The Manhattan Trust bank was set in a former Wall Street bank that had been closed and later repurposed as a cigar bar. The film-makers were responsible for a major undertaking, charged with restoring the former bank to its 1920s grandeur and architectural integrity. Extensive renovations were done to make the first floor look like an old-fashioned institution of money and power and it is where the robbers first hold their hostages. The Entrance used in the film is located on the East side of the building near the corner of Beaver and Hanover.

Bank, 20 Exchange Place (btw Beaver Street and Hanover Street) Manhattan.

Madeleine's Office, 150 Nassau Street and Spruce Street, Manhattan.

Collectors Suite, U.S. Custom House, 1 Bowling Green and Broadway, Manhattan.

Battery Park, Manhattan.

Cafe Bravo, 76 Beaver Street and Hanover Street, Manhattan.

otsoNY Comments: Although the Appellate Court Building is featured, the scene that follows were actually filmed inside the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House.

Appellate Court Building, East 25th Street and Madison Avenue, Manhattan.

Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, 1 Bowling Green and Broadway, Manhattan.