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The Score on DVD (2001)

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Average rating: 67%
1113620161625
3.0
from 1,562 members
 
Starring: Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Angela Bassett, Marlon Brando
Director: Frank Oz
Studio: OPTIMUM
Run time: 123 mins
Certificate: 15
User collections: Heist movies
Genres: Thriller
Languages: English
Hearing-impaired: English
Subtitles: English
Released: 15/04/2002

Brief synopsis of The Score

Every thief dreams of the big heist that will allow him to leave the business of crime behind. Every thief except Nick (Robert De Niro), a cool, methodical safecracker who never takes on long-shot jobs until his longtime partner, Max (Marlon Brando), offers him the big score--to filch a priceless scepter from the Montreal customs house. Wary about the job, Nick and the hotheaded customs house "insider," Jackie (Edward Norton), begin to dissect the elaborate details of entering the building, avoiding the security measures, blowing the safe, and escaping with the scepter. But as in every thrilling crime caper, plans go awry.

Skilled comic director Frank Oz is clearly comfortable working with the best method actors from the past three generations. Brando's Max bursts with joyful cynicism, while De Niro is Brando's perfect foil, so collected that every smile seems like a revelation. Norton's Jackie is far more expressive, but it is Norton's smallest movements--holding a gaze a half beat too long--that hint at the secret motives pulsing beneath his skin. Smooth like the scotch Nick likes to drink, and swirling with tension, THE SCORE provides the real payoff to the audience.

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Critics Reviews

Rating of 3 stars out of 5 Radio Times

Arguably the three finest screen actors of their respective generations — Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro and Edward Norton — combine to flesh out what might have been a bog-standard one-last-job heist movie were it not for two things: one, it's set in Montreal (and not the familiar, over-used cities of Chicago or LA); two, hardly any computer hardware is on display when the attempted heist of a priceless sceptre from Montreal's Customs House takes place. Brando is bizarrely compelling as the camp Max, De Niro is stoic as club owner Nick, operating here in a low gear, while Norton walks away with the film as the arrogant young turk Jackie. It's slow but exacting, and only the lack of an expected final twist lets the whole thing down.

Time Out

Apparently Edward Norton says he did this movie for the poster - to see his name up there alongside Marlon Brando and... Read more on www.timeout.com

Rating of 1 stars out of 4 Halliwell's Film Guide

A stellar cast render this familiar narrative watchable, but do little to lift it above the ordinary.

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Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 3 starsCould do better

Jez Fernandez from Oxford, England , 03/03/2004

Veteran safe cracker Bobby de Niro is tempted to pull off one last job before retiring. A priceless sceptre is being held in the vault of a Montreal Customs House, and undercover Edward Norton can get him inside?

Wow! Can this be true? Robert de Niro, Marlon Brando and Edward Norton on screen together? Three generations of cinemas finest in a barn-storming heist movie? Well, settle down there sport, because this one ain?t all it?s cracked up to be. Frank Oz (yes, the muppet man who?s most famous on-screen outing was as the voice of Yoda) directs competently enough, but the result is nowhere near as cool as ?Ocean?s Eleven? nor as much fun as ?The Italian Job? (either version). There are only three principal characters here, with Brando waddling into various scenes, only to sit down again and tell Bobby how much he wants him to do this job. Edward Norton, a fine actor, is engaging enough but neither he nor de Niro sparkle as they have in the past. The material is entertaining, but Oz spends far too much time setting up the logistics of the job and by the time the final credits roll, you can?t help feeling just a little bit cheated.

This is a three star movie that?s distracting enough for a Friday night. If you like ?Heist? and the other two mentioned above, this one?s worth a look-see.

  5 out of 6 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 3 starsNot bad...

A customer from UK , 15/02/2004

I expected a little bit more of De Niro & Norton, but is not bad for a rainy day...

  3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsHard to Beat

Charlie from Herts , 12/01/2005

This is one of the best films I have ever seen. What more could you ask for? De Niro, Norton and Brando in a film that twists & turns in a tense drama that keeps you pinned to the edge of your seat.

I cannot recommend this film enough. Watch it, Love it!

  3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 stars

lofty#2 from OLDHAM , 19/11/2003

This film was excellent! Enthralling, exciting, technically proficient, full of suspense. I rate this film a must!

  2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
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Most Recent Reviews

Rated - 3 starsThe score is 3 stars

ian southerland from Stockport, England , 17/11/2005

With the cast list in this film it feels like you have picked your dream team, only to watch it draw at home to Accrington Stanley (who are they!). Brando and De Niro are legends and Norton is one of my favourite actors today, but they all looked a bit bored in this film. If these 3 actors can't make a film a classic, then questions must be asked about screenplay, direction, cinematography etc. The film is good and worth a watch in anyone's money, but with this cast it should have been amazing - which it wasn't. Report card reads 'must do better.'

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
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Rated - 3 starsCould do better

Jez Fernandez from Oxford, England , 03/03/2004

Veteran safe cracker Bobby de Niro is tempted to pull off one last job before retiring. A priceless sceptre is being held in the vault of a Montreal Customs House, and undercover Edward Norton can get him inside?

Wow! Can this be true? Robert de Niro, Marlon Brando and Edward Norton on screen together? Three generations of cinemas finest in a barn-storming heist movie? Well, settle down there sport, because this one ain?t all it?s cracked up to be. Frank Oz (yes, the muppet man who?s most famous on-screen outing was as the voice of Yoda) directs competently enough, but the result is nowhere near as cool as ?Ocean?s Eleven? nor as much fun as ?The Italian Job? (either version). There are only three principal characters here, with Brando waddling into various scenes, only to sit down again and tell Bobby how much he wants him to do this job. Edward Norton, a fine actor, is engaging enough but neither he nor de Niro sparkle as they have in the past. The material is entertaining, but Oz spends far too much time setting up the logistics of the job and by the time the final credits roll, you can?t help feeling just a little bit cheated.

This is a three star movie that?s distracting enough for a Friday night. If you like ?Heist? and the other two mentioned above, this one?s worth a look-see.

  5 out of 6 people found this review helpful
Report offending content.

Read all highest rated reviews