Filmtracks Traffic Rank: #1,674
Written 4/26/11
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Buy it... if the generically computerized rhythmic chase scores of
this generation no longer interest you and you seek the same atmospheric
effect from Thomas Newman's reliably eclectic collection of oddly
compiled instruments.
Avoid it... if the only thing that connects less with you
emotionally than generically computerized rhythmic chase scores is
precisely Newman's usual rattling and clunking rhythms, a sound that
unfortunately disappoints in this aimless application.
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| Newman |
The Adjustment Bureau: (Thomas Newman)
Predestination and fate are concepts that have been explored throughout
science fiction in an attempt to raise existential questions about
religion and other weighty topics in the environment of a thriller.
George Nolfi's 2011 film The Adjustment Bureau is perhaps the
most notable packaging of this brain-twisting genre since 1998's Dark
City, once again placing the elements of romance and destiny at odds
with mysterious powers that seem to control everyday lives. The chase is
once again on in The Adjustment Bureau, Matt Damon playing a
rising political star who happens upon a chance encounter with a dancer
portrayed by Emily Blunt. Strange men in hats who can travel through
time and space using special doorways use their powers to keep the pair
apart, eventually explaining that the "plan" for the politician's
successful American presidential run and the ballerina's great career
are both jeopardized by their unsanctioned romance. Planned futures are
no match for love at first sight, however, and the "adjustment bureau"
that points us in the proper directions eventually has to decide how far
it is willing to go to protect the "proper" timeline. The religious
implications and paradoxical chases earned generally positive reviews
and Universal will see profits from the film, though it's more likely to
be destined for a cult following than mainstream acceptance. Nolfi's
previous credits had been as a writer, and in those films, the composer
duties had rotated widely. For The Adjustment Bureau, he turned
to Thomas Newman, once a darling of the industry who has in recent years
chosen only an odd assortment of less obvious assignments. By the late
2000's, little remained of the Tom Newman who wrote compelling
orchestral music in dramatic films, a frequent nominee for Academy
Awards despite never winning. Instead, his knack for experimenting with
strange instrumental and rhythmic textures led him down a completely
different path, composing comparatively quirky and oddball scores of
minimal power and depth for more intimate topics. There is no doubt that
The Adjustment Bureau represents a continuation of Newman's
meandering walk down the avenue of minimalism, an intriguing but not
completely alienating method of tackling a science fiction story. The
problem some listeners have with these kinds of scores is not their lack
of symphonic bravado, but simply any engaging spirit of connection with
the listener. In many ways, Newman is a master at writing exotically
cold rhythmic music, and The Adjustment Bureau is a direct result
of that talent and inclination.
The ensemble for
The Adjustment Bureau consists
of instruments and techniques that date back to Newman's famous
American Beauty score. These sounds have become reliable staples
of the man's career, often for the worse due to their typically limited
emotional range. Percussion and electronics are the centerpieces,
Newman's usual eclectic assortment of struck objects joined by his
equally familiar keyboarded and strummed tendencies. Glass bowls,
marimbas, celestas, tom-toms, xylophones, and other veteran Newman tones
maintain an adequate, other-worldly environment. Electric guitars,
synthetic keyboarding, and pulsating bass effects address the sci-fi
aspect. Piano, acoustic guitar, and occasional orchestral accompaniment
(mostly strings, it seems) serve the romantic side of the story. Some
manipulation and abrasive attitude in the rhythms can be heard ("Escher
Loop" has a passage that reminds of
Jarhead), but typically the
score is content to bubble along in an ethereal atmosphere. Among the
highlights are the moments when Newman combines the disparate sections
of his score into interesting brews, especially in the cool rock and
symphonic ramblings of "Elise." The strictly orchestral moments are at a
premium, led by "None of Them Are You," which includes acoustic guitar
and oboe coloration. Only in this latter cue and "The Ripples Must Be
Endless (End Title)" do you hear Newman's old self struggling to assert
itself (along with the piano performances in "Four Elections").
Thematically,
The Adjustment Bureau very poorly enunciates its
ideas, a couple of identities developed only haphazardly throughout the
score. The piano motif for the female lead in "Elise" and "The Girl on
the Bus" and an overarching theme consisting of three-note phrases
repeating endlessly (best heard in the final cue) are insufficient to
carry the narrative. Without clear themes to guide the score, its impact
is dependant purely upon the unusual ensemble and its perpetually
churning sense of movement. Even the instrumentation is suspect in
parts, a Middle-Eastern flair in the performance emphasis sometimes
intruding and intriguing sounds often emphasized only in singular
places. Ultimately,
The Adjustment Bureau receives a dominantly
atmospheric score from Newman, one that thankfully avoids the pitfalls
of the normal computerized filth that gets written frequently for such
occasions nowadays. But although Newman's approach is more
intellectually stimulating, it still fails to really connect emotionally
or tell any kind of overarching narrative, and it is thus a
disappointment. The composer contributed to one of the three rock songs
on the album, though none of them is related to the score's rather
stubborn, bleak tone. Rattling and clunking has its limits.
** @Amazon.com: CD or
Download
Bias Check:
For Thomas Newman reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.14
(in 37 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 3.18
(in 60,837 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.
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