Buy it... if you typically get up and dance to Randy Newman's more spirited songs and scores.

Avoid it... if Newman's sappy and energetic parody work conversely makes you want to strangle something.

Newman

Maverick: (Randy Newman) The early 1990's were a rebirth for the Western genre in Hollywood, and yet while heavily dramatic Westerns were taking home Academy Awards for Best Picture, along rolled Maverick, the first comedy Western to take advantage of the genre's sudden surge of popularity. You really didn't have to be a fan of the 1950's "Maverick" television series that inspired this film, though there's a twist at the end of the movie that will please you if you were. The screenplay by William Goldman takes a page or two from his own Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but actually has more in common with his other classic Paul Newman and Robert Redford collaboration, The Sting. Director Richard Donner teams up again with Mel Gibson from their Lethal Weapon exploits (Danny Glover makes a cameo here, too), and Gibson does well in the Bret Maverick role originally portrayed by James Garner on TV. Garner is given his own role as a marshal in the new Maverick, and Jodie Foster joins the cast for what critics generally accepted as a really strong chemistry between principles. Despite these positive reviews for Maverick, the film didn't meet expectations in the theatres during the 1994 summer blockbuster season, and perhaps the film's burdensome length hindered it more than anything else. With a lighthearted tilt to its genre, Donner would turn past more successful regulars in the composing field and choose Randy Newman for the score. Newman had already established himself as an accomplished songwriter and comedy score composer, though this was still before he reached his heights in the animated genre. If you remember back to the Western sub-theme that Newman wrote for Parenthood's Steve Martin cowboy routine, then consider Maverick an extension of that idea. There's a lot of sneaking around, fluffy rhythms, and lighthearted twist of theme throughout Maverick, with no attempt made by Newman to avoid the obvious cliches of the genre. Whether you can tolerate this unashamed exuberance will determin your opinion of the score.

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Indeed, Maverick has its fair share of swinging rhythms and lofty themes, often bouncing with the same personality as Newman's animation scores. Mock romance is also aplenty in Maverick, with "Oh Bret" laying on the heavy Western strings. The expected array of percussion performs in honky tonk fashion more often than not, with Newman's persistently rolling rhythms carrying the score with a remarkably easy pace. His loyalty to title theme is considerable, with several cute adaptations of the main theme throughout. The centerpiece of the theme (and the score as a whole) is a rollicking action piece in "Runaway Stage" that has been adopted as the concert suite from the score, mixing in the standard wood and metal Western percussion over an ambitious acoustic guitar rhythm (learned Western score ears will hear some Elmer Bernstein and Ennio Morricone quotes in places). After hearing Bruce Broughton's more genuine sound in the same kind of Western action in the modern era, it's hard to take even Newman's most substantial cue seriously. There is a darker side to Maverick, though the peril that Newman conveys in the music is never as shady as the actual scenarios in the film. One such cue is the "Opening," in which Newman builds two minutes of suspense worthy of any decent horror film, and several cues throughout the score follow suit. Consistent from start to finish is a vibrant orchestral performance, something absolutely imperative with music as energetic as this. Conversely, an accurate criticism of Maverick involves the fact that the quick pacing of the film doesn't allow many cues to develop over time, leaving the album listener with 1:00+ minute cues that alternate between honky tonk atmosphere, sly romance, straight action, and faux horror. There's even some faux Indian and faux Russian music in "Joseph and the Russian." The piano-driven Western parody song at the end ("Tartine de Merde" translates into "Shit Pie") is a clear example of why some people don't care much for Randy Newman's singing voice, and perhaps serves as an example of the composer writing and performing after filling up on some swill at the saloon. Overall, Maverick is an effective and lovable score, but requires a spirited mood to enjoy. ***   Amazon.com Price Hunt: CD or Download

Bias Check:

For Randy Newman reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.06 (in 17 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 3.11 (in 20,737 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.