The Score (2001, DVD)

A really nice looking golden scepter is the score in The Score, a film about an elaborate break in and theft occurring at Montreal's Custom House. This film starring Robert Deniro, Marlon Brando, Edward Norton and Angela Bassett moves along at a decent pace taking us into most all the aspects of pulling off this complicated heist.

The film is well done, but just doesn't feel like something we are commonly introduced to in the summer. There is little action in any of the film until the last half hour. The film instead deals with the characters, their plotting, and their situations.

Deniro is master thief, Nick Wells. He is the one who will do the actual jobs. His character lives the good life. Owner of a jazz club in Montreal, and involved with Angela Bassett's character. Nick doesn't believe in taking risks, he looks for the surest things, and he prefers to run things his way, or no way at all.

Angela Bassett is his love interest, Diane. She is a stewardess, she apparently wants Nick to give up his stealing ways. Upon getting the "one more robbery then I'm out" line, she has a small fit and leaves. Can you feel the strife? Barely. Angela Bassett's character is in the film for such a short period of time, the relationship never is developed between the two. It's just something we are supposed to accept. Chemistry? That's something in high school, not in this film.

Marlon Brando, as Max, he basically plays a moody fat guy. Used to living the great life, he has somehow managed to get himself in trouble with some other connected people. It becomes imperative that Nick go through with the theft in order to save his friend. Max is the one who has always brought the deals to Nick, paid him, and set up the buyers for whatever he has stolen. Of course, Max has taken a more than healthy cut every time. We see Brando as a happy fat guy, and we see him as a scared, depressed fat guy. He often lapses into his funny godfather like accent, and we kind of feel for him. The interaction between Brando and Deniro is one of the highlights of this film.

Edward Norton is the cool, cocky, newcomer, Jackie, who is the inside man at The Custom House. He feels he knows everything best, he all but demands Nick do this job. Norton plays the handicapped "Billy" a night janitor at The Custom House. Norton switches between characters all the time, the confident, arrogant inside man, and the handicapped janitor. He gives the best performance of all in this film. His weakness is his desire for respect, and his anger that he wasn't immediately trusted, accepted and respected by Nick. His own pride will lead him to jeopardize the entire plan.

Overall, this was an interesting film. It followed the planning of how to get in, how to avoid detection, how to get out, and what the big prize was. It was a suspenseful film which kept you glued to the final burglary. We watch Deniro's character as he goes through all the planning, lining up all his people who get things for him, and we see him as he continues through with the plan despite every sign telling him to pull out of this job.

So why does he stay with the plan? He values his friend Max, he knows Max is in trouble if this theft isn't pulled off. He values his girlfriend, who thought about him giving up his life of crime, and was a big fan of it. He seems to want to leave the theft behind and just concentrate on living his comfortable little life he has there in Montreal.

The Score is an interesting film. It won't be any blockbuster, and will likely be largely forgotten in a year or two, but should result in Norton being nominated for at least a best supporting actor award.

Favorite line in the movie had to come from Angela Bassett in her answer to Nick's question "How do I know I can trust you?"

This film is rated R, I'm not really sure why. There is no nudity, no real violence, very few bad words, and aside from one bloody nose, absolutely no blood in this film.
Perhaps it is rated R because stealing is bad, and we wouldn't want children to be exposed to those ideas.

Will I see it again? If someone else rents it, and I've been drinking enough so that I don't argue.