By Marc S. Sanders
Nothing like a good heist thriller. Am I right?
It is hard to believe that Marlon Brando’s final performance was with Robert DeNiro and yet the two were never part of the same cast before. Finally, though, the Oscar winning actors, who were both recognized for portraying Vito Corleone, teamed up for a little film that contained some daring thrills while also welcoming some crackling good acting scenes together. Edward Norton joined them, and it worked sensationally. The Score, directed by Frank Oz, is a forgotten gem, or in this case as priceless as the gold and jeweled scepter the three set their sights upon stealing.
Filmed on location in Montreal, DeNiro portrays Nick, a professional thief who is very disciplined in his work and would never dare commit a heist in his own town where he publicly operates as a jazz nightclub owner. As the opening scene suggests, he only practices outside of his city and usually outside of Canada. Yet, a brash cocky kid named Jack (Norton) enters his private life with a proposition too good to pass up. DeNiro’s handler/investor, Max (Brando), urges Nick to overcome his reluctance and team up with Jack for one last score that’ll rake in thirty million dollars. Once the job is done, six million is earmarked for Nick. Finally, Nick can get out of this business and move on with his nightclub mortgage paid off. He can also get more serious with his stewardess girlfriend Diane (Angela Bassett).
The MacGuffin? A scepter from the 1600s that was crafted for French royalty. It is currently locked in a state of the art safe located within the basement of the Montreal Customs Building. This fortress is equipped with cameras, security guards, sensors, you name it. Jack is working on the inside, posing as a mentally challenged maintenance man. He supplies all the intel to Nick with ways to get inside showing him who is doing what, where and how. Nick then prepares the strategy around what information is collected.
The shakedown of The Score is nothing unfamiliar. The enjoyment comes from the acting scenes between the actors, especially when it is DeNiro and Brando. It is as thankful to see these two legends perform on screen as it was to see DeNiro team up with Al Pacino in Michael Mann’s Heat. This older interpretation of Brando is so entertaining. He has a lot of fun with Max’ sarcasm and when he curses it just comes so naturally. Just a huge departure from what the actor did in classics like Streetcar and On The Waterfront. DeNiro is great at chastising Brando’s character with the risks he’s taking at getting them in trouble. Their dialogue works beautifully with their performances.
Same goes for DeNiro and Norton. It’s not so much a mentor/student relationship. Right from the start, there is friction. Nick is overly cautious while Jack is anything but. Yet, the film primarily focuses on the thieves’ preparation for the big job and the characters speak as if there is a trust or honor among them, but the skepticism remains. Often Jack is defiant of Nick’s specific instructions. Norton is great going at odds with DeNiro.
Once the wheels are set in motion, the pattern of the script is to introduce one unexpected obstacle after another. At one point the men realize they need a particular access code. So, an exchange in a public park has to take place. Against Nick’s wishes, Jack plays a potentially dangerous game. Later, it is learned that the scepter might be moving on from Montreal. So, the job has to be completed much sooner than planned. Max seems to be hiding some details as well that leave Nick uneasy. By the time all these bridges are crossed you have a solid foundation for the first two acts of the film before the heist gets going. It’s all good stuff. The epilogue to the picture is very satisfying as well with a couple of unexpected twists thrown in. When a bag gets unzipped, you’ll likely be nodding your head and applauding.
Edward Norton is a fantastic character actor (when he’s not being a straight lead in other films). Just like in films such as The Incredible Hulk, Fight Club and especially his debut Oscar nominated performance, Primal Fear, he dons a dual personality for this role. Norton easily contorts his physicality to portray “Brian” the guy who’s working on the inside of the Customs Building. When the persona is shed though, Jack is a guy that most need to be careful to trust or go up against. Edward Norton demonstrates such ease with the transitions from one personality to the other.
Angela Bassett is terrific actor, but her character belongs in another movie. The one shortcoming is that Bassett feels more like a prop for DeNiro’s motivation rather than a fully-fledged love interest. Out of context, the scenes they share are really impressive, but within the framework of the picture, Bassett comes off as an inconvenient detour. It’s not her fault. The relationship between Nick and Diane just does not seem to belong here. I never had any urge for their happily ever after wrap up. I was only concerned with Nick, Jack and Max pulling off the score.
Another minor shortcoming is Howard Shore’s soundtrack for the film. It plays with loud horns that scream official action. Yet, when the scenes are absent of music or only accompanied by soft jazz performances from Mose Allison and Cassandra Wilson does The Score feel like it is in its quiet mood comfort zone. Howard Shore’s louder pitch just feels a little too intrusive here because these guys operate in whispers and clandestine actions. I especially get a kick out of how Nick and Jack use their special tools that quietly click and turn and thump with no other sound in the area. Their hardware work like musical instruments.
Overall, this is a delicious, sophisticated thriller with an outstanding cast and Frank Oz’ direction thankfully does not get too inventive because he knows he’s assembled an A plus collection of actors. Oz also has the art design and scenic details within Montreal working to his advantage. The locales are peppered in with a welcome French culture along the cobblestone streets. DeNiro and Brando seem very comfortable and absorbed in this city that’s rarely used as a backdrop in film. Lastly, the procedure of the actual theft at play is a lot of fun to watch as it all seems plausible but still impressively crafty.
It’s worth your risk to check out The Score on a Friday or Saturday night when you need to get away from the chaos of everyday life. It’s a quiet, relaxed suspense yarn that’s so very pleasing.
NOTE: If you have not seen the film yet, I encourage you to stay away from the trailer which can be found online. I believe too many of the twists and surprises contained within the movie are revealed simply to bait an audience. The less you know about what happens, the more satisfying the picture is.
2 UNPAID MOVIE CRITICS!!!! 