The Score (2001) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Nick agrees because Max offers him a $4 million job to steal a priceless French scepter from the Montréal Customs House. Despite his intention to leave crime behind and focus on his jazz club, the enormous payoff represents an irresistible opportunity to secure his future with Diane. The temptation of one last job proves too strong for Nick to pass up.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Nick tells Diane he wants to go straight, setting up the conflict between his stated intentions and his ultimate decision.

• nick wells
• max
• french scepter
• 4 million
• montreal customs house
• one last job

Jack poses as Brian, an intellectually disabled janitor, to gain access to the Customs House. His convincing disguise allows him to work inside the building and obtain crucial security details that Nick needs for the heist. This infiltration is essential because it provides insider knowledge of the building's layout and routines.

Foreshadowing: Jack's reckless ambition is established early, making his willingness to take such risks believable.

• jack teller
• brian janitor
• customs house infiltration
• security details

Nick anticipates Jack's potential betrayal and switches the scepter with a steel rod before handing over the carrying case. When Jack demands the scepter at gunpoint, Nick knowingly gives him the decoy. When Jack opens the case at the bus station, he discovers only the rod, while Nick escapes with the real scepter on a boat.

Foreshadowing: Nick's decades of experience in the criminal underworld have taught him to anticipate treachery, which is established through his cautious nature.

• nick outsmart jack
• steel rod
• scepter switch
• betrayal
• bus station

Jack's ambition and greed drive him to betray Nick. After all the dangerous work of infiltrating the Customs House and disabling cameras, Jack sees an opportunity to take the entire $4 million scepter for himself rather than splitting the payoff with Nick. His reckless nature makes him willing to turn on his partner.

Foreshadowing: Jack is characterized as overly ambitious and reckless from the moment he is introduced.

• jack betrayal
• greed
• ambition
• double cross

Nick fills the massive in-floor safe with water and then detonates a depth charge to blow open the safe. The water serves a practical purpose in the heist mechanism, though the exact technical details are left somewhat ambiguous. This method is part of Nick's careful orchestration of the heist.

Foreshadowing: Nick is established as a master safe-cracker with inventive techniques.

• safe
• water
• depth charge
• heist technique

Nick uses a sewer tunnel to sneak into the basement of the Customs House. This underground route allows him to bypass the building's external security and reach the safe from inside. Meanwhile, Jack uses the bypass codes obtained by Steven to disable the CCTV cameras.

Foreshadowing: The sewer tunnel is introduced as part of their initial planning, showing Nick's attention to alternate entry points.

• sewer tunnel
• basement
• entry
• nick wells

Steven is caught by a systems administrator while hacking into the security system. He is then extorted for $50,000 to keep the information secret. This creates an additional complication for Nick and Jack's plans, adding pressure to complete the heist before the situation worsens.

Foreshadowing: Steven's involvement is mentioned early as a necessary but vulnerable part of their operation.

• steven
• hacking
• caught
• extortion
• 50000

Jack locks the janitor in a closet because his cover is blown when the real janitor recognizes him and realizes he is not who he claims to be. In a desperate attempt to prevent discovery, Jack locks the janitor away so they can continue with the heist without interruption.

Foreshadowing: Jack's janitor disguise being compromised was always a risk given his reckless approach.

• janitor
• closet
• cover blown
• disguise

Yes, Nick successfully keeps the real scepter. After outsmarting Jack's betrayal at gunpoint, Nick escapes through the sewer tunnels and boards a boat with the actual French scepter. Jack is left at the bus station with a steel rod, while Nick makes his getaway.

Foreshadowing: The film's setup establishes Nick as the more experienced and cunning criminal.

• nick keeps scepter
• boat escape
• real scepter

Jack is left at the bus station with the steel rod instead of the scepter. When he opens the carrying case expecting the $4 million prize, he discovers Nick's clever switch. Nick warns Jack to flee before authorities arrive, then leaves him to face the consequences. Jack becomes the prime suspect in the manhunt, as shown in the final news report watched by Max.

Foreshadowing: Jack's reckless decisions throughout the film culminate in his downfall.

• jack caught
• manhunt
• prime suspect
• bus station

Nick reunites with Diane at the airport as a symbol of his fresh start. After successfully completing the heist and outsmarting Jack, Nick chooses to pursue the legitimate life he originally wanted. Diane's earlier promise to invest fully in their relationship if he went straight is fulfilled, and their reunion represents the happy ending to Nick's character arc.

Foreshadowing: Diane's promise at the beginning establishes that Nick's ultimate goal is a life with her.

• diane
• airport
• reunion
• new beginning