A Score to Settle

A Score to Settle is a 2019 American action thriller film directed by Shawn Ku. It stars Nicolas Cage and Benjamin Bratt.[2] It was released on August 2, 2019, by RLJE Films.

A Score to Settle
Theatrical release poster
Directed byShawn Ku
Produced byKevin DeWalt
Eric Gozlan
Danielle Masters
Screenplay byJohn Stuart Newman
StarringNicolas Cage
Benjamin Bratt
Music byJohn Kaefer
CinematographyMark Dobrescu
Edited byChad Galster
Production
company
Highland Film Group
GoldRush Entertainment
Mind's Eye Entertainment
Paragon Media Production
Saturn Films
Distributed byRLJE Films
Release date
  • August 2, 2019 (2019-08-02) (United States)
Running time
103 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$171,216[1]

Plot

In 2001, Frank Carver, a young gangster for mob enforcer, Sleepy, witnesses his boss execute a former ally. Frank is asked to take the fall for the crime in return for $450,000 and the promise that his son, Joey, be looked after and cared for after the death of Frank's wife, Lorraine. However, his originally promised six year stay in prison turns into a life sentence.

19 years later, Frank is released from prison after he is diagnosed with a case of insomnia that could kill him if he doesn't sleep. While walking, he is met by Joey, now an adult, who reveals that he is a recovering addict and has sold his car to pay off his drug debts. After the two hail a cab, they stop by the old Carver household where Frank unearths the $450,000 bounty promised to him years ago. He takes the money and promises Joey that he'll make up for lost time. Joey, reluctant to spend what is essentially "blood money", later agrees in order to spend time with his father. That night, after checking in to a lavish hotel, Frank, against his doctor's orders, tracks down his friend Q, who was also involved in Sleepy's crime syndicate. Q, having left that life behind him and is now a successful bar owner, makes peace with Frank.

The following day, Frank and Joey spend time together buying suits, a sports car, and a new smartphone. They are approached by a pimp named Trip, who tries to show them a good time, but Frank declines. Inside the hotel, Joey encourages Frank to flirt with a woman named Simone. Simone turns out to be a prostitute and has sex with Frank in his suite, but ends up developing romantic feelings for him after he explains to her the deal he made with Sleepy and how it affected him.

That night, Frank tracks down Sleepy's second in command, Jimmy, to a nearby strip club, with Jimmy managing to escape before Frank can kill him. The next morning, Frank confesses to Joey that he is still "in the game", prompting Joey to turn his back on Frank. Frank collapses in his suite due to exhaustion, and is nearly killed by Trip, who reveals that Simone was one of his prostitutes and demands Frank pay him what he feels is owed to him. Frank threatens Trip with his life, scaring him into running away.

Later, after killing one of Sleepy's subordinates (Tank) at a nearby butcher, Frank gets a call from Joey, who has been kidnapped and taken to Sleepy's old hideout. Joey and Frank reconcile and agree to go to the cemetery where Lorraine is buried. While there, Frank also walks by Joey's headstone as well, revealing that "Joey" was a figment of Frank's imagination. Frank comes to terms that Sleepy and his men killed Joey to keep him quiet, while Joey's spirit tries convincing his dad to "come home".

Despite his son's last wishes, Frank locates Sleepy at a nearby assisted living center, where he is now in a medically induced coma. Frank ultimately decides to spare Sleepy's life, not before leaving the bloodied baseball bat that Sleepy had used the night of the execution on his body. One of the orderlies tells Frank that the only other person to have visited Sleepy before him was Q which shocks him. Jimmy shows up to kill Frank, though Frank gets the upper hand and shoots Jimmy dead in the parking lot.

Frank then heads to a nearby church, where Q's daughter is getting married. Frank holds Q and his daughter hostage, with Q revealing that he was the man who had Joey killed. He explains that Joey had become an unstable drug addict and was going to snitch on Sleepy's gang to the police, forcing Q to cover his tracks. Frank spares Q, not before his daughter shoots Frank in the back. Outside, police tell Frank to surrender, but Frank refuses, deciding to go out in a "blaze of glory". As Frank lies dying on the steps to the church, Joey's spirit comforts his dad, as he helps lead him into the next life.

Cast

Production

Filming locations are in British Columbia, Canada. Cage learned to play piano for his role in the film.[3]

Release

In April 2019, RLJE Films acquired distribution rights to the film and set it for an August 2, 2019, release.[4]

Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 15% based on 20 reviews, with an average rating of 3.8/10.[5] Metacritic gave the film a weighted average rating of 37 out of 100, based on six reviews, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[6]

Justin Lowe of The Hollywood Reporter called the film "forgettable" and "underwhelming", and said: "Ku shows a decent grasp of plot mechanics, but never manages to adequately develop the characters or effectively modulate the film’s pacing, even in the brief action scenes, which prove too tame by typical Cage standards."[7] Noel Murray from Los Angeles Times similarly criticized the plot, action sequences, and development of underworld characters. However, he praised Cage's performance, writing: "With him, the movie isn’t just watchable, it’s occasionally riveting. ... Cage plays even the blandest pulp material with soul and gusto, as though the pathetic grudges of a petty criminal were the stuff of epic drama".[8]

Sean Boelman of Popaxiom gave the film a mixed rating of 2.6/5, writing that: "A Score to Settle is a ton of fun for what it is. If you come in expecting a masterpiece, you will surely be disappointed. However, if you want a schlocky action movie featuring the always entertaining Nicolas Cage, this movie is definitely worth the rental fee".[9]

References
  1. "A Score to Settle (2019)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  2. McNary, Dave (October 26, 2017). "Nicolas Cage to Star in Action-Thriller 'A Score to Settle'". Variety. Penske Business Media. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  3. N'Duka, Amanda (October 26, 2017). "Nicolas Cage Has 'A Score To Settle' In Action Thriller From Highland Film Group – AFM". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  4. Hipes, Patrick (April 23, 2019). "Nicolas Cage Action Thriller 'A Score To Settle' Getting August Release In RLJE Films Deal". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  5. "A Score to Settle (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  6. "A Score to Settle Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  7. Lowe, Justin (August 2, 2019). "'A Score to Settle': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  8. Murray, Noel (August 1, 2019). "Review: Nicolas Cage has 'A Score to Settle'; plus 'The Operative' and more". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  9. Boelman, Sean (July 29, 2019). "Review: A SCORE TO SETTLE Is A Fun But Generic Revenge Thriller". Popaxiom. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
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