(500) Days Of Summer - Music From The Motion Picture Review
Posted by Dan Marsicano on 07.28.2009
"(500) Days Of Summer," a romantic drama about two people with different outlooks on love, is in theaters now. The official soundtrack features a wide range of acts, from songwriter Regina Spektor to Hall & Oates. Does the album compliment the movie or is it just a collection of random tracks that have nothing to do with the film?
The Track Listing
1. A Story Of Boy Meets Girl- Mychael Danna and Rob Simonsen
2. Us- Regina Spektor
3. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out- The Smiths
4. Bad Kids- Black Lips
5. Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want- The Smiths
6. There Goes The Fear- Doves
7. You Make My Dreams- Hall & Oates
8. Sweet Disposition- The Temper Trap
9. Quelqu’un M’a Dit- Carla Bruni
10. Mushaboom- Feist
11. Hero- Regina Spektor
12. Bookends- Simon & Garfunkel
13. Vagabond- Wolfmother
14. She’s Got You High- Mumm-Ra
15. Here Comes Your Man- Meaghan Smith
16. Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want- She & Him
The Review
Movie soundtracks can be a mixed bag, with some complimenting the source material well and others being nothing more than a cash-in that hypes having one or two new songs by popular bands (the recent Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen-The Album immediately comes to mind). Lately, the former situation seems to be more evident with the official soundtracks to “indie” films, with the ones to “Juno” and “Away We Go” being prime examples on how to put together a collection of songs that tell a story without having prior knowledge of the films they are portraying.
“(500) Days Of Summer” is the story of boy meets girl, but not in the way that most moviegoers are accustomed to. Entirely from the perspective of the male protagonist, the movie stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tom, a man looking for love, and Zooey Deschanel as Summer, a woman who doesn’t believe in the concept of finding that “special someone” to spend all of eternity with. The two meet up and begin a year-plus long relationship with plenty of ups-and-downs, which are expressed through the 16 tracks on the soundtrack.
The soundtrack starts with the same witty, yet cynical, narration that opens up the film, before leading into “Us,” a catchy piano number by songwriter Regina Spektor. She has a dynamic voice that demands your undivided attention, as she goes from a low whisper to a high-pitched wail in a second’s notice. The strings work isn’t overused and accentuates the mood considerably. Spektor comes back later in the soundtrack with the gloomy piano ballad “Hero,” which showcases the darker side of the bond between Tom and Summer.
As the soundtrack goes on, the placement of the songs becomes an important factor. The first half is more upbeat, a positive outlook on a blossoming relationship. The second half, in contrast, has a downtrodden atmosphere, even in the catchier numbers such as the Feist’s “Mushaboom” and Wolfmother’s “Vagabond.” Even those who haven’t seen the movie can tell at this point that something is a little off, and the soundtrack does a perfect job of conveying these broad emotions.
What makes (500) Days Of Summer- Music From The Motion Picture an engaging album is the sheer amount of variety that is given to the listener. From classic rock to acoustic ballads to epic progressive numbers, there is a little something for everything. Unlike a lot of soundtracks, it isn’t about getting the big names involved, but finding the appropriate song for the right moment. Other than the classic Hall & Oates song “You Make My Dreams,” there isn't a lot of recognizable tunes, at least from a mainstream audience’s perspective. For some, the lack of note-worthy bands and artists may be a turnoff, but it would have made the soundtrack artificial and a determent to the “indie” feel the movie gives off.
(500) Days Of Summer- Music From The Motion Picture flows well, even with multiple songs from the same artists being used. The Smiths and Regina Spektor both have two songs on the soundtrack, but they are both solid tracks, so there is little to complain about. The only time this hinders the album is when “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want,” originally by The Smiths, is used twice; both the original version and a closing cover by She & Him, the musical side-project of Deschanel's. In the context of the film, it might seem necessary to have both of these, but it seems out-of-place on the soundtrack. While Meaghan Smith does a competent job with The Pixies’ “Here Comes Your Man,” it would have been nice to have heard the original version on here.
(500) Days Of Summer- Music From The Motion Picture has a few small faults, but it is one of the better movie soundtracks of the year due to its obscure track listing and ability to tell a story to accompany the feature film. Even without watching the movie, the listener can easily tell what point the connection between Tom and Summer is at. Being able to do this without the use of movie samples or pointless interludes can be an arduous task, but the soundtrack avoids these over-used traits of past movie soundtracks. Time will only tell if people will attach themselves to (500) Days Of Summer- Music From The Motion Picture like they did with the surprising success of Juno.
The 411: (500) Days Of Summer- Music From The Motion Picture is a great companion piece to the motion picture, even for those who haven't seen the film. The track listing flows very well, as the listener can get a sense of where the relationship between main characters Tom and Summer is based on the song. There isn't a song that seems out of place and unlike most soundtracks, there isn't a need for big-name talent to provide B-sides and rushed new material. The only qualms with the soundtrack is the use of the same song twice and repeated artists, but that doesn't hinder the overall enjoyment of (500) Days Of Summer- Music From The Motion Picture.
