(The following donated review by Timothy Turner was moved by Filmtracks to this comment section in April, 2007)

The Man in the Moon: (James Newton Howard) This is one of those scores that hardly anyone knows about, and yet the music is really good. The Man in the Moon is a drama about a 14-year-old girl named Dani growing up on a small country side town in the 1950's. She falls in love with the boy next door, but he has his eyes set on Dani's older sister.

James Newton Howard follows the film with a warm and romantic score. It has really good themes and I think they are the most lyrical themes Howard has ever written. The music is romantic, playful then tragic. Since this takes place in the Deep South, the score has a countryside edge to it with guitars, mandolins, and violins for the more playful or happy moments of the movie. What I find interesting is that he mixes a South American type of flute that may by electronic in with this country side edge, which gives it a nostalgic and sometimes new-age sound, such as in the track "Back Door."

The more dramatic tracks are performed with mostly lush strings, woodwinds, and piano like in "Dani Brings Court Water". And each track is beautiful, pleasant and timeless. The only time it takes a turn is on "Courts Accident" where the music becomes uneasy and dark. Other than that one track this score is entirely enjoyable. Lately James Newton Howard has been doing a lot of dark and almost theme-less scores. So if you want to hear a lighter work, or something new by Howard that's more upbeat you are sure to like this one. ****