Main Plot
"The Score," directed by Frank Oz, is a heist film centered around an experienced safecracker who is considering retirement. He runs a jazz club in Montreal and is looking to settle down with his girlfriend. However, he is lured back into the criminal world by his longtime associate, who presents him with a lucrative opportunity: to steal a priceless French scepter from the Montreal Customs House. To execute the heist, they team up with a young, ambitious thief who poses as a janitor at the Customs House. As the plan unfolds, tensions rise due to conflicting personalities and differing motivations. The film delves into themes of trust, betrayal, and the complexities of criminal partnerships, culminating in a suspenseful and intricate heist.
Ending Explained
In the movie "The Score," directed by Frank Oz, the ending reveals a clever twist in the heist plot. The film follows Nick Wells (Robert De Niro), a seasoned thief who plans to retire after one last job, and his younger partner, Jack Teller (Edward Norton), who poses as a janitor with a mental disability to gain access to the target: a priceless French scepter stored in the Montreal Customs House.
As the heist unfolds, tensions rise between Nick and Jack, culminating in a double-cross. Jack attempts to betray Nick by taking the scepter for himself. However, Nick anticipates this move and replaces the scepter with a fake. In the final scenes, Jack realizes he has been outsmarted when he opens the case to find a decoy. Nick, having successfully executed his plan, escapes with the real scepter and contacts his girlfriend, Diane (Angela Bassett), signaling his intention to retire and live a peaceful life.
The conclusion underscores themes of trust, betrayal, and the cunning required in the world of high-stakes crime, leaving Nick victorious and free to leave his criminal past behind.
