The Score (2001)
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A master safe-cracker must decide whether to walk away from his criminal life or join a high-stakes heist for a royal treasure.
The story
After being nearly caught during a burglary, master safe-cracker Nick Wells considers retiring to live with his girlfriend Diane and run his Montreal jazz club as a legitimate businessman. However, he is approached by Jack Teller, an ambitious fellow thief who wants Nick's expertise for a high-stakes job. Their target is a royal sceptre smuggled into Canada but discovered by customs, now stored in the ultra-secure basement of the Montreal Customs House. Nick must decide whether to walk away from his past or risk everything for one final score, while navigating the complexities of a partnership with a volatile and ambitious newcomer.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Nick Wells, a master safe-cracker, is tempted into one last job by Jack Teller to steal a royal sceptre from the Montreal Customs House. The operation involves a complex web of roles: Nick's associate Burt, a hacker named Steven, and a security-breaching plan involving sewer tunnels and a fake identity for Jack. As the heist progresses, the stakes rise when the theft is revealed as a French national treasure, leading to increased security. During the heist, Jack betrays Nick by attempting to steal the sceptre for himself. However, Nick anticipates the betrayal, using a scrap-metal decoy to trick Jack while he escapes through the sewers with the real treasure. The film ends with Jack being the primary suspect in a massive manhunt while Nick successfully reunites with his girlfriend.
- First release year
- 2001
- Runtime (minutes)
- 124
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English; French
- Directors
- Frank Oz
- Writers
- Daniel E. Taylor · story; Kario Salem · story; Daniel E. Taylor · screenplay; Kario Salem · screenplay; Lem Dobbs · screenplay; Scott Marshall Smith · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Robert De Niro · Nick Wells; Edward Norton · Jack Teller; Angela Bassett · Diane; Marlon Brando · Max
- Genres
- crime; thriller; heist
- Themes
- loyalty; betrayal; retirement
- Tone and mood
- tense; methodical
- Premise and plot tags
- heist; caper; crime
- Reception
- The film received generally favorable reviews, with critics praising the performances of the lead actors and the methodical attention to detail in the heist plot.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 74% · scale: percentage · review count: 129; Metacritic · score: 71 · scale: 100 · review count: 29; CinemaScore · score: B · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- NAACP Image Award · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture · win; BET Awards · Best Actress · nomination
- Production trivia
- Marlon Brando's final film role; Only time Brando and De Niro appear onscreen together; Marlon Brando performed scenes in his underwear during production
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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