Nick Wells is done. The master thief in “The Score” wants out, a quiet life in Montreal with his girlfriend Diane and his jazz club. That plan falls apart fast when Jack Teller, a younger thief with ambition, shows up at his door with a proposition: one last job, a theft so big it could fund the rest of his days. Frank Oz directs the film, and Robert De Niro plays Nick, Edward Norton plays Jack, and Marlon Brando appears in his final screen role as Max, the fence who holds the deal together. The movie runs 124 minutes, and it moves fast enough to keep the tension from wearing thin.
Trailer, via HD Retro Trailers.
Nick’s Last Stand
De Niro carries the film as Nick, a man whose hands move faster than his tongue can lie. When Jack arrives at his home to convince him otherwise, Nick is skeptical but not closed off entirely. He agrees to the job on one condition: he gets full control of the operation, and he gets a $6 million cut from Max. It is a bargain he makes quickly, and the film trusts the audience to feel the weight of it.
The heist itself is the reason Nick agreed to it. The target is a royal sceptre smuggled into Canada, discovered by customs, now stored in the ultra-secure basement of the Montreal Customs House. Jack has already worked his way inside by posing as a mentally challenged janitor, and Nick finds a path to the basement through the sewers beneath the city. The setup is simple and effective, a route through darkness and water that feels both desperate and clever at once.
Diane’s Doubt
Diane, played by Angela Bassett, is the anchor that keeps Nick tied to the world he wants to leave behind. She watches him take on this final job and wonders whether she will ever see him again. Her scenes give the film a human scale that the heist itself sometimes lacks. She is not a prop in the story, and her concern about Nick’s safety adds a layer of stakes that the action alone cannot provide.
Nick also brings in Steven, a hacker associate, to break into the security system of the Customs House’s company. Steven manages to get in, but he is caught by a systems administrator who demands $50,000 for the information. The administrator arranges to meet in a public park, bringing his cousin for protection. Tensions rise when both the cousin and Jack each reveal they have brought a gun, to Nick’s displeasure, but the exchange is made anyway. The scene is tense and well-played, showing how small a mistake can become when money and guns are involved.
The Sceptre Plan
The heist’s centerpiece comes when Nick sees a pressurized beer keg burst open in the street. That image gives him an idea for defeating the Customs House’s impregnable safe. He refuses to let Jack be part of the handoff with Max, even though Jack insists on it. It is a moment of frustration, and it shows Nick’s control over the operation. He knows the risks, and he is willing to face them alone rather than share the danger.
Burt, played by Gary Farmer, advises Nick that the job may be too risky. Nick takes the warning seriously but decides to push forward anyway. He confronts Max, who confesses that he is deeply in debt to a mob boss. The film leaves some questions about the aftermath open-ended, which suits the tone of the story, keeping the audience engaged without tying every thread into a neat bow.
The Cast
The supporting cast fills out the picture. Marlon Brando’s Max is a presence even in his final scene, a man who has spent his life dealing in stolen goods and now finds himself in over his head. Jamie Harrold plays Steven, the hacker, and Paul Soles plays Danny. Serge Houde is Laurent, and Martin Drainville is Jean-Claude. Claude Despins is Albert, and Richard Waugh is Sapperstein. Their roles are small but necessary, and they ground the story in a world of thieves and fences.
The soundtrack includes onscreen musical performances by Mose Allison and Cassandra Wilson, adding texture to the jazz club scenes. These performances sit alongside the film’s central action, giving the audience a sense of Nick’s other life beyond the criminal world.
Where It Falls Short
“The Score” is not a perfect film. Some of the plot threads feel rushed, particularly the revelations about Max’s debts and the mob connection. The film moves at a steady pace, but it sometimes sacrifices depth for speed. The character of Jack Teller, played by Edward Norton, is a driving force in the story, but his motivations remain a little unclear. He wants the job, but why he pushes so hard is left mostly unexplored.
The film also leans heavily on Nick’s skill as a thief to carry the narrative, which means some of the middle sections rely on repeated heist set pieces. This is a genre problem, not a failure of execution, but it means the film’s middle hours can drag slightly for viewers who want more character development.
The Final Handoff
The climax of “The Score” brings Nick’s plan to its conclusion. It is a fitting end for a man who has spent his whole life playing a dangerous game. The film’s tagline, “There are no partners in crime,” captures the core of the story. Everyone in this heist is looking out for themselves, and the alliances that form are temporary at best. Nick knows this, and his decision to take control of the operation is a statement of his independence. He will not share the risk, and he will not trust anyone else with the payoff.
A Solid Heist
“The Score” is a solid entry in the heist genre, anchored by strong performances and a plot that keeps moving. It is not a masterpiece, but it is a well-made thriller that respects its audience’s intelligence. The film understands the rhythms of a heist, from the planning to the execution to the aftermath, and it carries that understanding through every scene.
It is a movie worth watching for the performances alone, especially those of De Niro and Brando. It is also a movie that rewards attention to detail, since the heist itself is full of clever ideas and unexpected twists.
Key Facts
- Title: The Score (2001)
- Director: Frank Oz
- Screenplay: Kario Salem, Scott Marshall Smith, Lem Dobbs, Daniel E. Taylor
- Runtime: 124 minutes
- Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller, Mystery, Drama
- Cast: Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Marlon Brando, Angela Bassett, Gary Farmer
The film is available to watch today, and it remains a worthwhile addition to any collection of heist movies. It is not the best of its kind, but it is a well-crafted one, with a lead performance that carries the weight of the story. Nick Wells is a man who knows when to stop, and “The Score” shows him making that hardest of decisions.
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