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A SCORE TO SETTLE (2019)
A Score to Settle poster

CAST
NICOLAS CAGE
BENJAMIN BRATT
MONHAMED KARIM
NOAH LE GROS
IAN TRACEY
KAROLINA WYDRA

WRITTEN BY
JOHN STUART NEWMAN

PRODUCED BY
KEVIN DEWALT
ERIC GOZLAN
DANIELLE MASTERS

DIRECTED BY
SHAWN KU

GENRE
ACTION
DRAMA
CRIME

RATED
AUS:NA
UK:15
USA:NOT RATED

RUNNING TIME
103 MIN

 

 

 

 

A Score to Settle image

Nicolas Cage delivers his patented brand of funky acting and dramatic moments surprise in their tenderness, yet A Score to Settle too often stumbles with its inconsistent and schlocky take on the geriatric revenge thriller movie.  

At this point no one knows what kind of Nicolas Cage we will get with every movie. The always prolific Oscar winner will star in six films in 2019 alone, and if A Score to Settle is any indication it will at least be an interesting ride. “Interesting”. It is a word that can mean many things, yet in the context of A Score to Settle it speaks to a willingness to stretch the boundaries of the geriatric revenge thriller that the likes of Taken made famous. Director Shawn Ku (Beautiful Boy) is not known for his action film prowess, and it is plain to see here. What he does bring is an unexpected depth to these proceedings. Unfortunately, that is coupled with some rather unintentional schlocky filmmaking.

A Score the Settle stars Cage as Frank, an enforcer for the local mob who just did 20 years for a crime committed by his boss (Dave Kenneth MacKinnon). Suffering from a crippling version of insomnia that is fatal, Frank is hellbent on seeking revenge on those who crossed him. But first he has lost time to make up for with his son Joey (Noah Le Gros).

It is in these moments where A Score to Settle truly shines, as father and son partake in all matter of binding experiences, living it up on the town in scenes reminiscent of Scent of a Woman, complete with a joyride in an expensive sports car. When Cage truly wants to act in a sincere manner, he reminds just how good he is in doing so. The casting of Le Gros as Cage’s son works as well, with Le Gros riffing off Cage’s kinetic energy with a suitably overwhelmed turn.

Of course it is “crazy Cage” that people want to see and the Wicker Man star does not fail, delivering a performance filled with patented Cage-isms that often goes from 0 to 101 with much eccentric flair. One sequence where Cage plays piano in a bar owned by his former partner in crime Q (Benjamin Bratt in a forgettable turn), is a perfect example of the odd creative choices he makes. It’s entertaining, but just doesn’t make any sense.

It is apparent, though, that Ku struggled to bottle Cage energy and use it to the films advantage. The films action scenes are particularly pedestrian in their choreography and execution. If A Score to Settle was a meal, it would be known as a “Revenge thriller, hold the thrills. Add extra corn”. It’s natural for a movie to miss its mark. Things happen, especially during post-production. But it’s another thing all together when a film doesn’t know what it’s aiming for. A Score to Settle does hit some impressive targets in its wildfire, but not the ones that matter.

 

**

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