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Some people can really hold a grudge. In fact, they can hold a grudge so long that they spend years planning out every detail of the sweet revenge. And in A Score to Settle, it takes one man 19 years—and his looming death—to give him the chance to follow through on his plans.
A Score to Settle stars Nicolas Cage as Frank, a convicted criminal and former enforcer who’s released from prison after serving 19 years of his sentence because he’s suffering from a terminal illness. Bitter because he lost so much while doing time for a crime he didn’t actually commit, he’s been planning his revenge for years. But while he attempts to track down those responsible for his imprisonment, he also tries to rebuild his relationship with his son, Joey (Noah Le Gros), whose life took a troubling turn after his father was sent away.
When Frank returns to civilization, he does it in style, checking into a posh hotel and spending all of the money that he received for taking the fall for his boss all those years ago. And while his insomnia keeps him up at night, he takes a break from living it up to hunt down his old crew—the ones he still blames for the years he lost and the damage his jail time did to Joey. At its heart, it’s a moving film about a man who’s been betrayed and locked away, who’s lost everything he once held dear, and he responds in the only way he knows how—with violence. The story, however, tends to get a little muddled along the way. Frank’s history is unclear, and his quest for revenge is disrupted by all kinds of random distractions.
At the same time, Nic Cage is not Liam Neeson. He’s not Keanu Reeves. He’s not the kind of guy who’s going to lead a successful series of revenge thrillers—at least not this time. But Nic Cage is Nic Cage. He’s a little bit awkward, yet he’s strangely likable—and when he lets loose with his full, wild-eyed Nic Cage performance, you can’t help but enjoy watching him.
A Score to Settle is a somewhat hazy and meandering story of betrayal, regret, and revenge. But while it isn’t necessarily a solid thriller, Cage still manages to keep it interesting. So, especially if you’re a Nicolas Cage fan, it could still be worth checking out.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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