Review: The Score (2001)

This is a Resurfaced review written in 2002 or earlier. For more information, please visit this link: Resurfaced Reviews.

The Score

Rating

Director

Frank Oz

Screenplay

Daniel E. Taylor, Kario Salem, Lem Dobbs, Scott Marshall Smith

Length

2h 04m

Starring

Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Marlon Brando, Angela Bassett, Gary Farmer, Paul Soles, Jamie Harrold, Serge Houde, Jean-Rene Ouellet, Martin Drainville, Claude Despins, Richard Waugh

MPAA Rating

Review

Another heist film hits the big screen, this one starring Robert De Niro and Edward Norton attempting to steal a priceless artifact from the dark basement of a building.

De Niro plays Nick Wells, an experienced thief and restaurateur who has decided to go straight to be with his flight attendant girlfriend Diane (Angela Bassett). One day, he’s approached by his old friend and boss Max (Marlon Brando) with one last great heist. He has already promised Diane he would not do anymore heists, but after an impetuous, young thief, Jack Teller (Edward Norton), tries to show him up, he can’t avoid showing the young guys how it’s done.

The object of their selection is a valuable, jewel-encrusted scepter held in a secure museum basement inside an even more secure safe. The two must work together to achieve the goal before someone else beats them to it.

Norton proves to be a capable thief and a talented impersonator. His performance allows him to play both normal and mentally retarded while De Niro just gets to act. Norton goes over the top with Brian, his mentally retarded janitor and stays under with his character Jack. De Niro, on the other hand, doesn’t have to worry about this and simply has to display moods from trusting and amorous to treacherous and angry. Both give capable performances with the true surprises coming from the supporting cast.

Bassett is certainly a talented actress and what little time she spends on the screen she’s luminous. Her character doesn’t have a lot to say, but she does it so effectively that we can’t help feeling sorry for her when De Niro admits to her that he is taking the job. Brandon is, however, the best of the cast. Max is brash, kind, convincing and despicable all at the same time. He takes on many different sneaky facades while giving the audience a reason to pity this slovenly fool. Brando shows the acting promise that he did in his youth and certainly leads a good cast.

One of the big problems with the plot is that it’s been done before. Luckily, the David Mamet film “The Heist” came out second, making it the redundant one. However, the film “Sexy Beast” also tackled the same topic as well as a plethora of films prior to 2001. Three films in one year about a thief attempting to retire are a bit too much. I bring this up here because chronologically, this is the last of my reviews for the above three films. I don’t hold that against this film, but rather use it as an example to show how repetitive this plot is. It’s fun, it’s enjoyable, but it’s been done before.

Like all heist films, this one features several plot turns that, in the end, are unfortunately predictable. You see the double crosses coming and you find yourself hoping that something will surprise you, but never getting it.

“The Score” is definitely enjoyable and if it weren’t for the plot predictability, the film would have been much better. Audiences will certainly like the film as it provides some very interesting, yet easy to spot, conclusions that make it worth the time.