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THE SCORE
Review by Gordon Justesen
Stars:
Robert DeNiro, Edward Norton, Angela Bassett, Marlon Brando
Director: Frank Oz
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Surround, French Dolby Surround
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Studio: Paramount
Features: See Review
Length: 124 Minutes
Release Date: December 11, 2001
“If I do this, my end has gotta
be six million.”
“Uh, operator, I got a nut down
here that just said he needed six million. Are you alright?”
Film ****
2001 has somewhat been the year of the heist movie. Earlier
this year, there was the violent thrill ride 3000 Miles to Graceland, and
at your local multiplex, you’re likely to find both David Mamet’s Heist
and Steven Soderbergh’s much anticipated remake of Ocean’s Eleven,
each tells a plot of a group of professional thieves looking to knock over
something extremely valuable, and then retire from the business for good. The
plotline is familiar indeed, and The Score carries the same formula, but
this is an extremely remarkable production, glowing with superb style, three
brilliant performances from three generations of brilliant acting, and a unique
feel of setup and execution in its heist plot that is nothing short of superb.
You have to admit that on the surface, any film with the ability to bring
together Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, and Marlon Brando would instantly garner
a must see quality.
Frank Oz, better known as a veteran of Jim Henson’s
Muppet troupe, as well as director of memorable comedies like Bowfinger
and In and Out, crafts a masterful piece set in Montreal, a truly
inspired setting. Nick Wells (De Niro) is a jazz club owner who has gotten to
where he is in life thanks to his second job, which is a slick as can be
professional thief. The opening scene shows Nick at work at cracking a safe in a
dark living room in the midst of a party gathering. Nick is pressured by his
girlfriend Diane (Angela Bassett) into leaving the stealing business and
settling down. At the same time, Nick is confronted by his longtime friend, Max
(Brando), a local Montreal crime lord, who wants Nick to take part in one last
job, which is to steal a priceless gold antique from the Customs House.
In addition to wanting to quit the business, Nick is given
another thorn in his side, which is to work with a partner, something Nick has
never agreed to do in his 25 years in the business. Max has a contact in the
Customs House named Jack (Edward Norton). In order to successfully case the
Customs House, Jack is employed there under the façade of a mentally retarded
janitor named Brian. What follows is some knockout exhibition as we, along with
the two thieves, get a precise tour of just how secure and impenetrable the
Customs House actually is, as well as a tour of the dark tunnels located right
below the building, providing a perfect entering and escape route. A standout
moment is when Nick and Jack meet discreetly in a public park with a paranoid
cyber their who is selling them bypass codes for the security system.
When the heist sequence itself kicks in, the movie ignites
an enormous level of suspense and involvement. We see Nick infiltrate and make
his way around perhaps the most intricately secured area since Tom Cruise
dangled by ropes in the CIA vault in Mission Impossible. What follows is
knockout series of twists and turns, as the participants start to wear out their
trust of one another, letting their egos get in the way. A final revelation
scene that follows that is startling and breathtaking.
A lavish production, a wonderfully executed plot, and the
combination of three brilliant actors from three generations blend together to
make The Score not only one of this year’s best films, but one of the
best heist movies since perhaps Heat, another classic De Niro movie.
Paramount scores yet again with another remarkable video
transfer. The anamorphic presentation glows from scene one, with complete
sharpness and terrifically vibrant colors. Many key sequences in the movie take
place either at night or in dark settings, such as the tunnels, which also turn
out impressively good. Many outdoor exterior shots of downtown Montreal are
particularly striking, displaying richness and beautiful colorization. The
Score is another knockout entry in a long list of terrific Paramount
transfers.
A
nicely subtle digital audio presentation for a film that is mostly dialogue
driven. The 5.1 presentation really pays off in two separate areas, which are
numerous jazz numbers in scenes taking place in Nick’s club, and the climatic
heist sequence which does a neat job of picking up discreet sounds from just
about every possible position. A simple and good enough sounding presentation.
A
neat little array of extras as Paramount includes a trailer for the movie, as
well as an informative behind the scenes featurette, some additional footage
including a monumental moment of improvisation from De Niro and Brando, and a
nice commentary from Frank Oz and director of photography Rob Hahn.
Summary: