So I'm not sure where my expectations were by the time I sat down in the theater, but I walked out pleasantly surprised. The Score is no masterpiece, but it's a solidly constructed, entertaining example of the heist genre. We never get thespian pyrotechnics among the three big stars, but they're all excellent, as is Angela Bassett as DeNiro's sultry girlfriend. Brando is a genial crime boss who offers DeNiro's cautious, methodical safecracker the famous "last big score" that will enable him to get out of the business; Norton is Brando's man on the inside for this big job, a brash, cocky thief who yearns for DeNiro's respect.
The movie is as methodical as DeNiro's character, carefully showing all the intricate details of planning and carrying out a robbery that involves breaking into one of the most closely guarded buildings in Montreal -- and then cracking a monstrous safe. I have no idea how many of these details are accurate, but they sure look convincing. Though the minutiae might seem tedious or arcane at first, they help to build the tension to the climactic crime. The film ends with the satisfying feeling of all the pieces clicking perfectly into place like the tumblers on a lock.
Norton has the showiest role, and he's terrific -- just the slightest shift in his face speaks volumes. DeNiro is in his quiet, restrained mode, but that's just right for his wary and weary character. Brando is a joy to watch, mainly because he seems so happy, which makes up for the parts of his dialogue that are unintelligible. Slinking around DeNiro's apartment, Bassett looks like a classic femme fatale; I'd have liked to see more of her in this movie. And I have to mention that Gary Farmer has a small part, because it gives me the opportunity to urge you to see Powwow Highway, a low-key Native American film he did some ten years ago (he was also in Smoke Signals, but I think Powwow Highway is the better film).
I'd definitely recommend The Score -- it's a fine example of a classic genre film.
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