tomgregory1989
I didn't really have high hopes going into this but its actually very well done. Great characters and the plot is simple yeah, but its executed well enough to be entertaining. You really care about whether or not the heist will succeed or fail. It's different to most movies in this category so it wasn't boring or repetitive. 8 of of 10 stars.
altersaege
Somehow I have found this just now. And I thought, wow, De Niro, Norton and Brando! It must be special. Well, so so. They were special. The film wasn't. It was a bit weak, quite predictable, and did not felt special. I must admit that having watched The Italian Job (also with Norton) and Oceans Twelve and Thirteen before, may have contributed to feel this movie as "already seen", although this movie was made before. A merit which must be recognized. Still, this does not changes that the movie was not as incredible as I expected from this collection of actors. But it is not a bad movie and as long as you do not come in with huge expectations, you will not be disappointed.
Python Hyena
The Score (2001): Dir: Frank Oz / Cast: Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Angela Bassett, Marlon Brando, Gary Farmer: Here is so much potential that manages to score very little in the appeal rate. Here is an action film about possession or level of crime committed by two men who measure each other's capabilities. Opening bares nothing to what follows. It stars Robert De Niro as an intelligent safe cracker given a final assignment from his boss that he doesn't wish to undertake because he doesn't desire to commit a crime in his home town. Edward Norton is faking downs syndrome at a customs house where a scepter is uncovered. He mapped out the inside and needs De Niro to crack the safe. One can be sure that it will not conclude lawfully. Directed by Frank Oz with a standard plot gives way to formula but this is a different project for someone who has made Bowfinger and The Indian in the Cupboard. So much potential is wasted here by talent who are so far above it. De Niro, Norton and Marlon Brando are typecast with Angela Bassett unnecessary as De Niro's girlfriend. Normally having their names on any advertizing poster would be deemed positive, so how unfortunate that they are reduced to such shabby writing. We have seen films like this many times before and we will likely see dozens more with even lesser talent. It has an empty screenplay that never scores. Score: 2 / 10
David Arnold
Nick Wells (Robert De Niro) is an experienced professional thief and has his eyes on retiring from the game and settling down. However, when Max (Marlon Brando), a long time acquaintance, comes to Nick with details of a score that is worth millions, Nick decides to do this one last job. The reward...a priceless French scepter which is being kept under lock & key at the Montreal Customs House. Jack Teller (Ed Norton) is Max's inside man for the job and has been working at the Customs House as a mentally challenged man who goes by the name of Brian. Working together, they have to put aside any differences they have to enable them to pull off the biggest heist they have ever done.I first saw The Score when it was released 13 years ago and it may not be the most original movie out there - a heist movie with various plot twists & turns and trust issues between the main characters - but that doesn't stop it from being a great movie.The pace is good and even though there are a fewer, shall we say, slower moments to break up the main story, they are necessary and they don't ruin the overall pace of the film. The story develops nicely as the film goes on, building up suspense and tension for the main heist scenes.De Niro and Norton are excellent together here, especially when Norton plays his two characters going from Jack to Brian and back again. De Niro plays these parts superbly also (well, he plays any part superbly really) and plays them in such a way that even when his character isn't saying anything, you can see that he's calculating things out instead of just sitting there with a blank look on his face.Overall, this movie is a must watch and if you love heist movies and movies like Ronin, Heat, and Usual Suspects then you will love The Score.
AD
