THE SCORE

US, 2001, 124 minutes, Colour.
Robert de Niro, Edward Norton, Angela Bassett, Marlon Brando, Gary Farmer, Jamie Harrold, Paul Soles.
Directed by Frank Oz.

No, this is not sports film with toughly fought matches. Nor is it a musical film about a composer. Nor is it a revenge thriller, where people 'even the score'. The Score here is what you get when you commit a robbery. It is a crime thriller. Americans refer to these big scores as heists. We are soon going to see playwright David Mamet's The Heist with Danny de Vito and Gene Hackman. In the meantime we have The Score.

The star power is very strong. Robert de Niro gives one of his quietly credible performances as Nick, a longtime burglar who has achieved success because he avoids risks. For decades he has done jobs quietly and unobtrusively - and the film opens with him in action, suddenly interrupted but mastering the situation and quietly walking away with stolen jewellery. Home is Montreal where he owns a club and lives comfortably. But, he is getting older. It is time to retire. He suggests to his flight attendant girlfriend (Angela Bassett) that they settle down. The attractive location photography of Montreal makes the city itself one of the stars of the film.

Enter Marlon Brando. He plays an oversize (literally) art entrepreneur whose main skill is in being a fence for stolen material. He wants Nick to do one more heist. He is also asking Nick to break his rule of not doing a robbery in Montreal. The stout Brando (a little more agile than he has appeared in recent years) wears a hat and sports a cane as if he were doing a latterday Sidney Greenstreet turn. But it still comes as a surprise to realise that he was 76 when he did this role. His voice and articulation are still oddly idiosyncratic and he sometimes seems as if he is parodying himself.

Enter Edward Norton representing the younger generation of thieves. He sees himself as a whizz kid, casing the Montreal Customs House by getting a job miming as a mentally slow cleaner. He also knows computers. He is ambitious and a goer, preferring the big gamble rather than caution. He also underestimates the older generation. Norton is a talented and versatile actor. In his first role, in the 1996 thriller, Primal Fear, his character was, as here, a feigned simple-minded man. He was the genial young priest in Keeping the Faith.

Needless to say, most of the film is the preparation for the robbery and then the suspenseful execution of the job. And, needless to say, it does not go exactly as planned. There is practically no sex in the film and not a great deal of violence. Of course, the language of the characters reminds us that criminals are not gentlemen.

In the post World Trade Centre days, a thriller entertainment like this alerts us to how complex security has to be and how easily criminal masterminds, experts at physics and engineering, as well as computer hackers at home, are able to break even the tightest security.

1. The perennial entertainment of a heist thriller? The modern technology, the modern moral point of view - getting away with theft?

2. The title, the focus, the robberies, the results, the money? The achievement?

3. The Montreal settings, the city itself, the Customs House and its interiors, the river, homes and clubs? An authentic atmosphere with the city itself becoming a character? The atmospheric score? The songs at the club?

4. The strength of the stars, their presence, their interactions? Giving a robbery film a higher profile and impact?

5. The prologue, Nick at work, his skills, the safe? The couple coming in, his hiding, the woman realising he was there, his behaviour towards her? The taking of the jewellery, the escape, going back to Canada?

6. Nick and his home in Montreal, the apartment, the club and his management? His relationship with his staff? His home in Montreal, robberies only in the United States or Europe, never in Montreal? Max arriving, the long friendship, Max as the fence, his needing the money, proposing a robbery, it being against Nick's rules? Their discussions, the pressure from Max? Nick's decision?

7. The character of Max, Marlon Brando looking like Sidney Greenstreet? His old mannerisms, manner of speaking, improvising? The history of Max and crime? The long relationship with Nick? Seeing him at home, Nick and the discussions in his house? Jack and his presence, Max's reaction? The truth about the financial pressure on Max? The final glimpse of Max and his satisfied smile and acknowledgment of Nick's skill?

8. Nick as a character, age, experience, skills, knowledge of physics, mechanics? His relationship with Diane, her being a flight attendant, calling in every so often, the long relationship? Nick and his being comfortable with her, discussions, shared values, love? His suggesting that she think about settling down with him? Her hesitation, the return, his having taken on the extra job, her reaction and leaving? The phone call? Her arrival at the end, going off together with Nick, happy prospects?

9. Jack approaching Nick in the street, pretending to be simple-minded, accosting him, revealing that he knew him, the menacing words? Indication of the relationship between them, indication of the ultimate betrayal? Jack and his being at Max's house, revealing himself again? Max's antagonism? Nick's hostility, his sending his associate to warn off Jack and bash him? Jack and the reversal of roles and coming to confront Nick in his house? His remarks about his good taste, his wanting respect, wanting partnership?

10. Jack as a character, the loner, his suggesting the score? His work in the Customs House, his disguise as simple-minded, playing out his role, relationship with all the staff, the security people, with George? His casing the place, getting the information, the code numbers? The discussions with Nick, Nick's decision to work with him? His going to Nick's place, seeing Nick and his ability with safes, his physics knowledge for breaking into safes? The build-up to the robbery, the timing, the codes - and the meeting in the park, the two men, the money, the gun? Checking out the numbers of the codes and their being correct? The night itself, his going into the building, working, taken for granted? His spilling the polish? His setting up the detail, working with the computer, giving Nick the detailed timing? Turning the security cameras? George coming in, his confronting him, locking him in the room? Admitting that he was a good man and he didn't want to hurt him? His turning the tables on Nick, confronting him, getting the jewellery? His turning on the cameras and his managing his escape, getting out of the building, changing his clothes, phoning Nick, the meeting? The irony of Nick turning the tables on him with the jewels? His dismay, having to get on the bus, the photo on the television and his being pursued? Nick's advice to him about not taking risks, not gambling, building up and fulfilling the plans over long years? The young man and the comeuppance from experience?

11. Nick, the pressure on him by Max, by Jack? Sending his assistant to confront Jack and the roles being reversed? His decision to go into the robbery, working with Jack, inviting him to his home, the discussions with Max in the club? The safe and the blowing of the safe? Ringing his friend with the codes, the meeting in the park, checking them out? The night itself, his disguise, getting in, following Jack's directions? Being literally suspended while Jack waited? The achievement of the robbery, the confrontation with Jack? His being able to escape through the tunnel, his getting away in the car? The irony of the switch? His going off with his associate, success, Max, meeting Diane at the airport?

12. The computer hack, eccentric, knowledgeable, his nagging mother? His getting the information, its being checked out and him giving the go-ahead? Issues of security and computer nerds and hackers?

13. The staff at the Customs House, the security guards, their rounds, the television monitors not working, calling help, the final confrontations? Accepting Jack as the simple-minded Brian and letting him out? George, his work, friendship with Brian and helping him? The revelation of the truth, his giving the information to the police?

14. A glossy heist thriller, the attention to characters, motivations, double-dealing, the technical details of the robbery, its achievement and the doublecross and success for Nick, failure for Jack?