Intermission: 'The Score? scores with DeNiro, Brando, Norton

"The Score"

Directed by: Frank Oz

Starring: Marlon Brando, Robert DeNiro, Edward Norton

Rated: R

In an age when movies like "Mission Impossible" and "The Rock" tend to bludgeon the viewing audience, it's nice to have an action film that manages some degree of restraint. "The Score" is it, and with the finest of three generations of actors, it's executed quite nicely.

Marlon Brando, Robert DeNiro and Edward Norton take this film, Frank Oz's first foray into drama, to the hilt. While some may argue that Brando has become a parody of himself of late, he uses that to full advantage here. And despite some questionable career moves, DeNiro remains the best actor of his time. Newcomer Edward Norton has proven himself in films such as "Primal Fear," where he overshadowed veteran Richard Gere, and most recently in "Fight Club," a role that was as challenging as it was creepy.

Frank Oz, best known as the voice of Miss Piggy, and Star Wars sage Yoda, has directed several films before, but he has never tried his hand at drama. His voice work has always been great, but I'm not a big fan of the films he's directed, including "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," "Bowfinger" and "What About Bob?"

"The Score" proves he's got a pretty keen eye for, and a deft hand at, directing drama/action. The final half hour of the film, which may seem obvious in retrospect, had me on the edge of my seat.

While the gimmick of "this is my last job" is a little tiresome, Oz and screenwriters Kario Salem, Lem Dobbs and Scott Marshall Smith have crafted a heist film that engages the viewer throughout and never resorts to the clichs of bloody violence or endless car chases.

In generational order, Brando is Max, a high priced fencer of stolen goods. DeNiro as Nick is his best operative although he's about to give up the business to settle down with his girlfriend, Diane, played by the much-underused actress Angela Bassett. Norton is Jack, a young upstart in the heist game.

The Canadians have seized an antique scepter that Max estimates will bring around $30 million. Even though he wants to quit the game, the cut will be big enough to allow Nick to pay off his jazz club/restaurant and marry Diane. He's uneasy about the deal from the word go, and Jack's eager young spirit makes him even more so. Norton has a great knack for making the viewer somewhat uneasy and that can be a double-edged sword. I knew he was up to something and a film such as this just has to feature some sort of double-cross. It does, but manages to surprise when all is said and done.

Things happen fast and furiously, but not so much as to overwhelm. The moment when we realize there's a burn going on is somewhat subtle as well, and it even takes a few minutes to play out.

The final scene is a gem, too. Like many films of the noir genre, there aren't really any "good" guys here, but we have those we root for. In the final few minutes, fortunes change hands many times.

I liked "The Score" a lot. Seeing three generations of classic actors together was a thrill, and it's also nice to see actors of Brando's and DeNiro's stature not be afraid to let a young kid have his due. Edward Norton holds his own here and matches his older coworkers scene for scene. I can only imagine what a thrill it must have been for him to be around when two icons finally shared scenes together.

My guess is "The Score" will be the big box office score the movie industry has been looking for in summer 2001.

(Jim Wunderle works at Associated Video Producers and is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician.)