Box-Office Sales 'Spike' As 'Inside Man' Breaks Out

Spike Lee's bank-hostage thriller, "Inside Man," was the No. 1 movie in the country this weekend - and will likely become the director's biggest hit ever.

The R-rated actioner, starring Denzel Washington and Jodie Foster, raked in $29 million - the best opening weekend ever for both Lee and Washington.

That figure easily exceeded box-office expectations of about $20 million.

"Inside Man" also blew away the previous weekend's top film, the Natalie Portman-Hugo Weaving comic-book drama, "V for Vendetta," which slipped to second place, with $12.3 million.

"Stay Alive" - featuring "Malcolm in the Middle" star Frankie Muniz battling a deadly video game - debuted in third place, with $11.2 million.

The other new wide release, the gross-out romp "Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector," opened at No. 7, with $7.1 million.

The movie industry broke out of its latest slump, with the top 12 movies grossing $98.9 million, up 10.6 percent from the same weekend a year ago.