The Score

The Score (2001)

Director: Frank Oz

Writers: Daniel E. Taylor (story), Kario Salem (story), Lem Dobbs (screenplay)

Cast: Robert DeNiro, Edward Norton, Marlon Brando, Angela Bassett, Gary Farmer, Paul Soles, Jamie Harold, Serge Houde, Richard Waugh, Mark Camacho

Synopsis:

Aging thief Nick (DeNiro), who is on the verge of retirement, is pressured by fixer Max (Brando) into doing one final job that could set him up for life. The job is set up by the hot-headed Jack (Norton) and involves breaking into the Montreal Customs House to steal a priceless scepter that's been confiscated. With so much to lose, Nick agrees to the job but insists that he runs the show. Jack agrees but soon grows resentful of what he feels is a lack of respect from Nick. As more and more problems pop up, Nick begins to doubt the operation will be a success, but with such a high potential payoff, he ignores his better judgment and presses on.

First Impressions:

I made sure to see this one in theaters. I was 25 years old and couldn't pass up a film with such an esteemed class. Brando, DeNiro and Norton were arguably among the best actors of their respective generations, and this was a film not to be missed. I was not disappointed and enjoyed the movie immensely. While the acting was superlative, the story itself was tense, exciting and had a very satisfying conclusion. It's been a while since I've popped this on in the old Blu-Ray player, so let's see if it holds up. 

Story/Direction: 

"When was it you started thinking you were better than me?"

I quite like the story here. Like all good heist movies, it's simple and to the point. All that matters here are the characters and, of course, the job. The film starts with a cold open of Nick pilfering jewels from a wealthy home during a party. This short scene tells us all we need to know about the protagonist; he's competent, efficient, and not big on violence. From there, we get to see more of Nick from a personal standpoint; we learn that he's the owner of a jazz club in Montreal, and he's got a girlfriend, Diane (Bassett), who's aware of his occupation. In fact, pretty much the film's entire first act is just establishing characters and their individual personalities. Then, with minimal exposition, director Frank Oz shows us what we need to know about the principal players and what motivates them.

As is the case with most heist movies, the second act is where we learn about the actual job and get to see all the planning and preparation involved in pulling off the heist. Also, like most heist movies, the second act is where things go to shit, and The Score is no different. As preparations move forward, more and more complications pop up, which cause more doubt in Nick as to whether the potential risks are worth the potential gains (also a common heist movie trope). But, of course, Nick decides that they are, and the heist goes forward, despite his misgivings. 

This, of course, leads us to the final act, where we get to see the crew pull off the heist. This is the part that either elevates a film like this or destroys it. Without weaving into spoiler territory, this film is definitely elevated by the third act. We get plenty of tense moments as Nick tries to pull off the job, even though more hiccups occur in the process. It leads to an exciting escape and a very satisfying conclusion. The film has a runtime exceeding two hours, but the time just flies by, and that's high praise for any movie. 

Acting/Characters:

As I mentioned earlier in the review, the primary cast of this film was high on prestige at the time. I consider Nick one of DeNiro's last great dramatic roles, as he spent the remainder of the decade doing mostly stupid comedies. DeNiro plays Nick as a man who's ultimately happy with how his life has gone but is looking to move into the next phase. This is a bit of a departure from the norm, as a character like this would often be depicted as full of regret or perhaps even desperate. Not here, though, Nick is in a good place, and he only takes on the job because he wants to get out of the life for good. Really, really good performance. 

Ed Norton's Jack, on the other hand, is impulsive, rash and carrying more than a bit of anger in him. Initially, Jack views himself as a younger version of Nick and views the older thief as a bit of a hero. However, as the pair get to know each other, Jack realizes they aren't that alike and begins to view Nick with a lot more resentment, which leads to some conflict in the third act. It's a solid performance from Norton, whose career was still in its early stage.

One of the cool things about this movie is we see three generations of great actors in different stages of their careers. While Norton's was just beginning and DeNiro was coming out of his peak, Brando's was nearing its end. The Score represented one of Brando's last films before his death in 2004, and he certainly went out on a high note. I'm not normally a fan of Brando's, but I think his turn as the fixer Max was a great performance to close a career with. Max is roguish and charming but seems to have a dark history that the audience isn't told about. It's a solid performance by one of cinema's most celebrated actors.

Visuals:

There's not much in the way of special or visual effects in this film. However, I have to note the setting of Montreal, particularly some of its older areas, as a visual highlight. Also, it seemed to me that Oz alternated scenes during the day with ones that take place during the night to break up what could have been a fairly dark (from a visual, not a tonal standpoint) film. Other than that, there isn't much to say about the film's visuals. 

Score/Music:

Howard Shore composed the music for the film, and I've already expressed my admiration for him in my review for The Lord of the Rings films. What I found interesting was that I caught quite a few similarities in the scores for both this film and that epic fantasy trilogy. Given the timing of both productions, I suppose it makes sense; Shore would have jumped right from scoring this film to scoring Petr Jackson's magnum opus. I really liked the music for this film, it was quiet and in the background, but it really lent itself to the film's overall feel. Another win for Mr. Shore.

Action:

There isn't much action in this film, except for the closing minutes of the third act. That's to be expected, though, as a heist movie really is all about the buildup. That being said, the action set out in the film's climax, which involves the inevitable escape, is done really well. The audience is kept on the edge of its seat as Nick and company try to escape with the loot while dodging the cops. Again, it's well done and a great way to close out the film.

Final Verdict:

I really appreciate this film. It's such a smooth and entertaining ride and, as I mentioned earlier, has a really satisfying conclusion. I highly recommend it for fans of any of the three principal actors or for fans of heist films.