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 There's
a scene midway through "The Score" where Robert De Niro's character
tells Edward Norton, "talent means nothing if you don't make the right
choices." Well, amen to that, brother! Talk about making the right
choices, Robert De Niro finally made one of his own after a string
of so-so performances in forgettable films (I mean, just what the
heck was he doing in "15 Minutes" anyway?). The fact is, not only
does the acting in "The Score" raise the bar on what would have been
an otherwise average film, but it also makes for an extremely effective,
intelligent, and engrossing moviegoing experience.
After a career
spanning the globe as a professional thief, Nick Wells (Robert De
Niro) is finally ready to cash in his chips. All he wants to do
is settle down with his flight attendant girlfriend (Angela Bassett)
and manage his cozy jazz bar, but that's before his old partner
Max (Marlon Brando) shows up with an offer he can't refuse. Locked
in a safe under maximum security at the Customs House in Montreal
is a jewel-encrusted 17th century scepter worth millions of dollars.
All Nick has to do is break in and steal it, and he'll be able to
get himself out of debt--and out of the "business"--once and for
all. The problem is, Nick will have to team up with Jackie Teller
(Edward Norton), a shady, overly-ambitious newcomer who first gave
Max the idea. Nick has a choice: Will he play it safe and walk away
clean, or will he sacrifice everything for the biggest score of
his life?
Without a
doubt, "The Score" has to be the best heist flick of its kind since
1995's "Heat" (which, ironically, also starred Mr. De Niro). Credit
director Frank Oz, a well-established and consistent filmmaker whose
hits include comedies like "In & Out," "Bowfinger," and "What About
Bob?" What's immediately impressive is just how seamlessly he switches
gears from screwball comedy to full-on suspense. What's even more
incredible is how he manages to do this without relying on fancy
camerawork. In other words, there's no splashy direction or hyper-kinetic
editing (a la "Snatch") done here--just a well-written, intensely-paced,
character-driven potboiler that pays off with a climax that will
leave you feeling more than satisfied.
It speaks
volumes that "godfathers" Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando--both
two-time Academy Award winners who won Oscars for playing the same
role--would choose "The Score" as their first film together. As
usual, De Niro commands the screen, and in some ways, his character
resembles the one he played in "Heat." Both are consummate professionals,
but neither can hold on to a romantic relationship for beans. De
Niro's Nick Wells tries a little harder, especially when his girlfriend
(Angela Bassett, in what is pretty much a nothing role) gives him
an ultimatum--her way or the highway. That conflict gives De Niro
the opportunity to deliver a strong-yet-sensitive performance, and
as a result, it makes him instantly appealing.
Marlon Brando
is a little harder to figure out. Sure, his name alone adds prestige
to the film, but since his character is either always out of breath
or stuffing his face with peanuts, it's awfully hard to figure out
just what the heck he's trying to say. On the other hand, Edward
Norton holds his own and solidifies his reputation as one of the
best actors of his generation. As he did in "Primal Fear"--his big
screen debut--he effortlessly shifts from the handicapped disability
he needs to front his cover at the Customs House to the aggressive
thief who keeps you guessing with each passing scene.
"The Score"
is a perfect diversion for movie buffs who are burned out on emotionally
deprived, special effects-laden summer popcorn flicks. Rather than
trying to do too much too soon and undermine the intelligence of
his audience, Frank Oz lets the actors do the talking with the type
of interplay that feels much more natural than forced. Despite the
somewhat predictable nature in which the final heist plays itself
out, the payoff is big enough to leave you feeling like you've just
scored with a rare Hollywood gem.
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