The Score 2001

Critics score:
73 / 100

Reviews provided by RottenTomatoes

Bruce Newman, San Jose Mercury News: A handsomely mounted yawn. Read more

David Germain, Associated Press: Got class and smarts that put recent bombastic heist flicks such as Swordfish and 3000 Miles to Graceland to shame. Read more

Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press: A routine heist drama distinguished only by the names above the title. Read more

Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: Its single-mindedness still makes for a refreshing change from the preposterous bloat of most contemporary action movies. Read more

Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune: Isn't a noir masterpiece, like Rififi, but then, with Brando, De Niro and Norton acting up a storm, maybe it doesn't need to be. Read more

Ebert & Roeper: Read more

Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News: With its star lineup, The Score is an important film that allows its cast room to explore the characters. Read more

A.O. Scott, New York Times: A spiritless, unimaginative exercise in professionalism for its own sake. Read more

John Zebrowski, Seattle Times: Like The Score itself, there are moments when we get a little lost, when we even get dull for a while. But if approached right, growing older can leave us feeling invigorated. Just like The Score. Read more

David Edelstein, Slate: A droning, high-toned little heist picture with no dash and no raison d'etre. Read more

Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star: A movie which gets the job done as simply, efficiently and intelligently as possible. Read more

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Could've been so much more, but the stars make it worth checking out. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: A top-drawer heist movie that ratchets up the tension inch by careful inch, The Score will remind you of classic caper films of the past, and that is a good thing. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: Read more

Eric Harrison, Houston Chronicle: Alternating on trumpet and tenor sax, Norton does some terrific solos. De Niro is the ace drummer providing rhythmic backbone, and Brando tickles out gorgeous filigrees on piano. Read more

Paul Tatara, CNN.com: De Niro and Norton play off of each other beautifully. Read more

Steven Rosen, Denver Post: After sitting through such sloppy and reckless high-concept heist films as Mission: Impossible and Entrapment, it's refreshing to witness the careful, methodical attention to details that distinguishes The Score. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: A sturdily diverting old fashioned heist thriller. Read more

Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: Contains The Scene, a precious sequence already destined for infinite repetition. Read more

Jan Stuart, Newsday: It is the human spectacle of three of America's finest screen actors passing on their wisdom and gifts from one generation to the next that lends this movie a self-reflexive glow and lifts it above the cliches on which it is constructed. Read more

Peter Rainer, New York Magazine/Vulture: Read more

Andrew Sarris, New York Observer: Manages to waste a prestigious cast on a tediously long-winded caper plot. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: As heist movies go, this one is on the low side of mediocre. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The best pure heist movie in recent years. Read more

Charles Taylor, Salon.com: The movie is so determinedly low-key that after a while it sits on the screen like a layout from Architectural Digest. Even the actors seem dimmed. Read more

Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle: A solid suspense thriller that's fun. Read more

Derek Adams, Time Out: Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: There are explosions, double-crosses and chase sequences, but it just doesn't add up to edge-of-your-seat tension. Read more

Robert Koehler, Variety: Restoring the seductive style of the no-nonsense procedural heist movie to complete luster, this is the kind of pic that knows the difference between being masculine and being macho. Read more

Dennis Lim, Village Voice: Attends to its heist-thriller obligations with needless solemnity and a studious lack of imagination. Read more