Rating: 
Summary: The Score Scored Nicely
Review: Hollywood heavyweights Robert DeNiro, Marlon Brando, and Edward Norton together with Angela Bassett deliver very nice performances in this beautifully shot, nicely edited, and well directed film.The cinematography is beautiful and even without the cast, the visual elements alone -- the film noir lighting and atmosphere, the elegant and stylish set designs, the framing, and the editing -- make this a very enjoyable film. Although some reviewers comment that DeNiro is on "autopilot" or that he and Norton "phone in their performance," this is not true at all. DeNiro delivers a very smooth and appropriately subtle character without going "over the top". Likewise, Norton also gives a very good performance. Each character in each film should be viewed on its own merit. People who are disappointed because they don't see the "fireworks" of DeNiro in "The Deer Hunter" or Norton in "American History X", frankly, should go see those movies instead. DeNiro and Norton both are right on the mark for this movie. Marlon Brando brings comic relief with his superb timing and lines that land every time. Angela Bassett also is very good and shares the scenes nicely with DeNiro, which is no easy task. The heist is a genre that arguably has been overdone and is almost a cliche, but in this film, the direction is excellent and the editing, the pace, and the rhythm all support the suspense and the tension that kept me on the edge throughout. There are a few weaknesses, however. Although the music score is good at the beginning, by the third or fourth time the same melody appears, it stops being a motif and turns instead into a bit of a bore. A definite cliche that we can do without is the proverbial computer hacker. All in all, this film provides for a nice movie experience and is worth owning on DVD. A must see for DeNiro fans.
Rating: 
Summary: Criminal Waste of Talent
Review: Yet another one-last-heist film, I still held out hope for THE SCORE based on its incredible cast. What a disappointment. This film fails in every department. DeNiro and Norton phone in performances that aren't bad, but certainly bring nothing new and exciting to the table. Angela Bassett is criminally wasted in a role with maybe five minutes of screentime and no room to even begin to create an interesting character. And Marlon Brando. What can I say? I guess it looked good on paper. The man may have some great performances left to deliver, but this was not one of them. In his defense, however, he, too, was handed a shallow role with merely minutes to develop his character. The rest of the film is the SLOW set-up of the final heist before DeNiro's veteran safecracker retires. Working with newcomer thief Norton, the film climaxes with the robbery and the usual double-crosses. Anyone who even half-enjoyed Mamet's HEIST will be bored to tears by this one. With an ending that's abrupt and oh-so dull, one cannot help but wonder if some of the most interesting elements of this film were left on the cutting room floor. An entire gangster subplot surrounding Brando's character is introduced, but never developed further. Oz's commentary may have shed some light on this, but I wasn't willing to sit through the film again to find out. A dull film and an even duller DVD. The entire film had a soft, grainy image that screams poor transfer that just needs to be brighter. Perhaps the director wanted a dark film, but this just looks muddy. The 5.1 track is, like the cast, largely wasted, with most of the audio residing right up front. Granted, however, this wasn't the most dynamic film, soundwise. Overall, probably not even worth a single viewing if you're a fan of this type of film. The aforementioned HEIST and DeNiro's turn in RONIN are much, much better ways to spend your time and money.
Rating:
Summary: Just Plain Predictable
Review: You have to wonder how Hollywood is greenlighting screenplays these days. This formulaic, predictable and utterly unimaginative heist-flick has only one redeeming quality - its cast. But sadly, the absence of a quality script is highlighted by the fact that the cast is so good, since you can't help but notice that they have absolutely nothing to work with. The twist at the end is such a lame payoff that a high schooler could have thought of it, and the audience is left thinking...that's it? Is that what I waited 2 hours for? All in all, if it's on TV it's ok as background noise, other than that, don't waste your time.
Rating:
Summary: Cliched Premise Looks Fresh
Review: It's a well-worn premise: Middle-aged thief, wants one last score before he retires, hooks up with a brash young newcomer who has the goods on the biggest, riskiest score of the thief's career. So here's a few cliches to go with the plot: "edge of your seat," "pulse-pounding," "outstanding cast," "non-stop action." The premise is old, but "The Score" seems fresh. Much of that is, of course, thanks to the cast. Only Angela Bassett is wasted, but let's face it: with Edward Norton, Robert DeNiro and Marlon Brando, the best actors of their respective generations, you're not paying a whole lot of attention to anyone else. What's more, "The Score" has some of the tensest scenes of any movie I've seen in a while. Yet, its action happens with very little violence and almost no gunplay. Most of it takes place in the character interaction and the audience's investment in the characters' fates, a tough job to pull off. Yes, you've seen the movie before, and if you stop to think about it, you can predict most of the surprises. But thanks to a great cast and Frank Oz's well-paced direction, you've never seen it pulled off this WELL.
Rating: 
Summary: conventional but stylish caper film
Review: ***1/2 "The Score" is a fun, stylish return to the "Rififi," "Topkapi" school of crime drama. The object of this particular heist is a 17th Century royal scepter from France that happens to be languishing in the basement of the Montreal customhouse just asking to be taken. One of the would-be takers is Nick Wells (Robert De Niro), a seasoned heister dreaming of the quiet life of retirement but compelled to do this one last job as a favor to Max (Marlon Brando), an old buddy in hock to some pretty dangerous mob figures. Completing the triangle is Jack Teller (Edward Norton), a brilliant but brash young criminal mastermind whose high-risk temperament is placed in direct counterpoint to Nick's cool, levelheaded demeanor. Perhaps the most amazing triumph for director Frank Oz is his success at pulling together this impressive cast of stellar heavyweights who cut across three generations of movie acting. Of course, one might wish to see them in roles more demanding of their thespian talents, but we moviegoers will take these three superstars any way we can get them. And "The Score" is certainly very entertaining on its own terms. The technical elements involved in the planning of the heist are beautifully detailed from start to finish. And Oz generates genuinely nail-biting suspense in many sequences involving close quarters and close calls. In addition, the Montreal setting is novel and fresh and it is enhanced by some very impressive wide screen photography. A film like "The Score" lives or dies based on the intricacy of its plotting and the expertise of its craft. In both cases, "The Score" excels as an outstanding example of this noble and time-honored genre. And watching these three acting giants doing their thing in a movie together is OUR well-earned reward.
Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly Excellent Replay Value For A Heist Flick
Review: This movie is a blast and a great take on a heist plot to boot! DeNiro and Norton are believable and likeable in these juicy rolls. Brando brings humor and emotional depth to a small but vital role. My only gripe is what's up with giving Angela Bassett such a small part in the story? This movie could've been a lot more fun if her character presented a twist in the romantic storyline or better yet, the heist storyline. A beautiful cast delivers the goods. The lighting, incorporated jazz, and editing are tight. The technical details help push a well planned story and also create an experience for the viewer that doesn't confuse or insult your intelligence. Nice.
Rating:
Summary: A good movie- just don't expect too much
Review: I literally just finished watching this DVD minutes ago. I wasn't expecting much, but "The Score" was definitely an entertaining film. Just to clear up a couple of things, there definitely ARE surprises, contrary to what the editorial review says- I guarantee you'll crack a smile during the ending of this movie. And for some reason, a previous review labeled the ending as a "shootout", which couldn't be farther from the truth. Part of whst makes this movie stand out as above average is that it does't result to the cliche' ending that one might expect. And that, in itself, is a surprise. The only real dissapointment was that the interaction between the "big 3" wasn't quite as magical as I had anticipated. Not that any of the 3 were at all bad, but we've seen them do so much more in the past. The high point is an exchange between Brando and De Niro in which Brando begs for De Niro's cooperation. Norton gives a quality performance, but it's nowhere near the standard he set with "Primal Fear", "Rounders", or "American History X". If nothing else, watch "The Score" just for a chance to see 3 of the greatest actors alive (albeit not in their greatest performances). Oceans Eleven has nothing on this cast!
Rating: 
Summary: A Rock-Solid Crime Caper
Review: Robert DeNiro, as usual, makes the acting profession look as easy as a stroll down 5th Avenue, with yet another winning performance in "The Score" -- a crime saga that's definitely worth a look. You might find yourself moving closer and closer to the edge of your seat as this film's suspenseful climax slowly approaches. I think Director Frank Oz does a good job of gradually building the suspense as the movie progresses. Edward Norton, who has a "double" role (of sorts) in the movie, also gives a knockout performance. I found it worthwhile to replay several of Norton's hilarious scenes while he was in character as the half-witted janitor's helper. And I really liked Marlon Brando in this film. The then-76-year-old Brando, who portrays the slightly-quirky "Max", isn't too "heavy-handed" here; and comes through with a couple of knee-slapping lines of dialogue to boot during his brief amount of screen time. The DVD of "The Score" offers up mighty fine video and audio quality. The 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen picture looks just about perfect to my eyes. Extra Features include a "Making The Score" featurette (which lasts 12:25). This is a fairly standard Making-Of program (but still nice to have on the disc), with a few behind-the-camera glimpses of the actors at work. There are also three pieces of "Additional Footage" (total run time for these segments amounts to 7:58). The first one is extremely intriguing. It's a completely uncut, uninterrupted piece of film (5:05 in length) featuring Robert DeNiro and Marlon Brando discussing the heist and DeNiro's price for pulling off the job. We see three versions of this scene within this one single unbroken strip of film -- each of which is slightly different from the others, with these two great acting legends improvising a lot of the dialogue along the way. And each one of these differing "takes" is perfect. They never blow a word in any of the versions. The first version shown is the one that ended up in the final film; but the other two are just about as good (with Brando's rather racy remark in the last take being laugh-out-loud funny). The other two items listed under "Additional Footage" are alternate takes from two scenes in the film. Other DVD bonus materials include a Director's Commentary Track and the Theatrical Trailer. "The Score" boasts of three generations of acting talent coming together on the same movie -- a movie whose cast and story are both equally up to the task of entertaining anyone who pops in this DVD.
Rating:
Summary: "You know what I got " yeah nothing
Review: You got Robert De Niro,Marlon Brando(maybe his last)and Edward Norton in a sly,crafty,cheating heist. Where Max(Brando)gets Nick(De Niro)to team up with Jack(Norton)to become some what friends to do a big time score from the Montreal's Customs house a scepter worth millions which will set them up for life.Only if it could be that easy right? So watch this untrustworthy so called friendship to see who gets the best of whom.Enjoy
Rating:
Summary: Does not meet the expectations
Review: When you have a cast of Edward Norton, Robert Dinero and Marlin Brando you expect a great hit. Unfortunalty this wasn't it.
The acting obviously was great. All three lived up to there abilities, the plot however was too straight and plain. I kept waiting for the twist that would make the movie but it never came. It is really an unfortunate dissapointment
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