T.V.
And Films
Film Reviews
The Score
Rating: 15
Running time 123 minutes
Directed by Frank Oz
Stars Robert De Niro, Marlon Brando, Edward Norton, Anglea Basset
When Sean Connery made Entrapment, it reinforced what had become a
universal assumption about the man whose desire for a knighthood appeared
stronger than his ability to take risks. Robert De Niro is in a different
class. He takes risks all the time, although recently has been criticised
for switching to auto.
The Score is basicly Entrapment 2, with Edward Norton standing in for
Catherine Zeta-Jones. What is going on here? De Niro could be replaced by
George Clooney, or anyone, even Connery, and you wouldn't notice. Norton
makes an attempt at acting as his character has to fake the mannerisms of
a retard, but in every other respect this is a caper heist. It even has
Marlon Brando, looking larger than Orson Welles, as Mr Big.
The venue is Montreal. The prize is a 17th century French sceptre, that is
priceless. The burglar-proof vault is the basement of a museum.
Nick (De Niro) is the only man who could pull off a job like this. He has
the expertise, the equipment, the nerve. He says he wants to retire,
settle down with his girlfriend (Angela Bassett) and run a jazz club.
Max (Brando) turns on the charm and makes him an offer he can't refuse.
The guy on the inside, Brian (Norton), works as a janitor's assistant at
the museum. They'll be a team.
Nick's not having that. He's the leader, the number one. Brian will do
what he's told, or he walks. Brian is not impressed by this show of
arrogance, but goes along with it anyway. And so the Great Robbery,
which resembles all those other Great Robberies in past caper heist
flicks, is planned. Do you care? No. But you worry. You worry about
De Niro. Isn't it time to call Marty?
The mystery of why actors like Norton and Bassett should waste their
talent on secondary roles in a film that makes Ronin look good is more
intriguing than analysing the defects in this script. Brando's a lost
cause. De Niro isn't. He doesn't need to prove that he can play Connery
better than Connery. He needs to make proper choices.
Rating: 2 Stars
Simon Owen
