The Score is a heist movie, directed by Frank Oz, and starring Robert DeNiro, Edward Norton, and Marlon Brando. It's also one hell of a fabulous movie. Brilliantly written, acted, paced, and directed, this two-hour movie deserves to be seen by any and all who appreciate intelligent motion pictures.
It's about a man named Nick (DeNiro). Nick, you see, is a safe-cracker. He goes in, cracks the safe, steals the goods with a buyer in mind, then leaves for his safehouse. He leads a life as a jazz nightclub owner in our (ie: Canada's) very own Montreal (where almost this entire movie was shot). What rules does he go by, as a thief? Simple. Always work alone. Don't take big risks. Never work in the city in which you live.
He breaks every single one of these for a score of $6 million.
There's a reason, though. He's quitting the business for good. All for the woman he loves. But he's given this last chance to score some big bucks, and so he takes it.
Brando sets him up. Norton is the cocky, young inside man. And the entire thing is for an ancient French scepter that's priceless ("Not to us it isn't" quoth Norton's character).
What's fabulous about this movie is that it takes its time. It's a very patient movie. It paces itself slowly, and lets us revel in the characters as they interact and slowly reveal themselves. It builds up tension and innuendo (not of the sexual type, you perverts! sheesh!) until finally they have to rely on trust to pull off the heist in question. And if you thought that the bank heist scene in Heat was good, then you ain't seen nothin' yet. The heist in this movie is executed so well and with so much exactness and attention to detail that it's amazing to listen to it being planned, and awesome to watch its execution. I was on the edge of my seat, leaning forward intently, during the last twenty minutes.
A very rewarding experience. That's why movies that are patient, that demand something from their audience, are great movies. It's that they reward their audience with smart acting, smart writing, excellent pacing, and an overall satisfying movie experience.
The only thing that bothered me was the love story. Nick's love interest, as played by Angela Basset, is only there as incentive for him to quit. Nothing more. The movie slowed down when she was on the screen. I got bored, and just wanted it to move on to the next scene.
With that said, this is an otherwise fabulous and wonderfully smart and rewarding movie. Go see it. It'll be well worth your time.