Filmtracks Recommends:
Buy it... only if you are an extreme enthusiast of either this movie or John Debney's predictably contemporary light drama and romance style. Avoid it... if you see no upside to 27 minutes of mundane but functional and, in its thematic and instrumental applications, intelligent music on a fragmented score album. Filmtracks Editorial Review:
No Strings Attached: (John Debney) Movies directed by Ivan Reitman have become something of a rarity in the 2000's, his bankability not what it was back in the 1980's and early 90's. With his only directorial project of the previous ten years being My Super Ex-Girlfriend, Reitman tackled a more serious concept for No Strings Attached five years later with the same trademark sense of feather-light comedy and drama. The topic of casual sex is the focus of this film, Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher playing a pair of life-long friends who decide to engage in a "no strings attached" sexual relationship at a whim. As expected, though, complications arise as they become more romantically attached despite how much they fight off the idea of a lasting emotional bond. It's a story without much substance, the result never in doubt and the route towards that end stocked with the predictable twists and turns that involve jealousy, heartbreak, and, according to some reviewers, wayward feminism. Critical reactions to No Strings Attached were mixed, the plot's lurid nature and supporting roles for Kevin Kline and Cary Elwes not appealing enough to compensate for the predictable narrative. But any movie rated "R" for sexual content and starring Portman and Kutcher is destined to succeed at the box office, and No Strings Attached did indeed do well at the outset of 2011. Not surprisingly, the film was stocked with the usual variety of pop songs to meet the expectations of the production's target demographic, and whatever original score utilized by Reitman would inevitably be fragmented by that usage. The director has rotated between composers talented at writing lightly dramatic or comedy fluff in such circumstances throughout his career, maintaining collaborations with Randy Edelman and James Newton Howard at various times. For No Strings Attached, Reitman hired perhaps the most experienced living composer in this genre, John Debney, a man who could have phoned in this assignment and, in the view of some film music collectors, may have done just that. It is difficult not to admire the talent Debney has for cranking out suitable music for assignments like this without fail; rarely will you see music like this score receive a below average rating. On the other hand, it's almost impossible for scores in the mould of No Strings Attached to receive a glowing review, either, because at the end of the day, such music is functional but largely unmemorable and highly redundant, even in short presentations on album. Debney's job of maintaining a contemporary environment in No Strings Attached is well accomplished. Nothing on display here is particularly fresh, however, with every moment reminiscent of several other scores by Debney or a host of others who frequent this genre with streamlined background music. Despite being functional, none of the orchestrations or solo performances is of particular note for their complexity. Debney's choice of thematic content and performance ensemble is actually quite adept given the circumstances, however. Since the whole notion of mushy romance is rejected at the foundation of a casual sexual friendship, Debney doesn't utilize a sappy orchestra and a deep theme as the basis of the score. Instead, he spends much of the time in his music exploring looped light rock lines on guitars, keyboards, and even occasional Hammond organ. In "Golf Date" (with a unique whistling line and obnoxious synthetic tones), "Emma Loses It" (hailing back to the glory days of surfing), and "Hailing the Cab" (a cross between the two), the composer unleashes hip attitude that generically suffices. More palatable are cues like "Adam with Girls," "Vanessa at Hospital," and "Sneaking Freckles Into Hospital," all of which moving with staggered rhythms and clunking, watery percussive effects on the keyboard that will remind listeners of Thomas Newman's comedy style. The most intelligent musical expression in No Strings Attached is Debney's careful development of his primary theme for the two leads (and the orchestral accompaniment) as they eventually recognize their love for one another. The theme isn't earth-shattering, its progressions simplistic and instrumentation often led by guitar. Heard in "Emma Walks Adam to Car," "Getting Married," "I'd Choose Adam/First Date," "Three Months Later," "I Think I'm Falling," and the final two cues, the theme is clearly the highlight of the score. The only times you hear the string and woodwind sections together with the soloists are most likely in these cues, though they also contribute in "You Wanna Do This?" and "Emma to Wedding." The only problem with this technique is that it generates little warmth on the album presentation of the score, the last cue the only one to really appreciate due to its length. Even that one ends on an unresolved note, however, making the album yet another questionable purchase in this genre. Lakeshore Records released the songs and score on separate albums, the latter only containing 27 minutes over 21 tracks, the normal construct for a score for this type of film. It's difficult to imagine a significant audience for this product outside of serious enthusiasts of the film. *** Track Listings:
Total Time: 26:43
All artwork and sound clips from No Strings Attached are Copyright © 2011, Lakeshore Records. The reviews and notes contained on the filmtracks.com site may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Filmtracks Publications. Audio clips can be heard using RealPlayer but cannot be redistributed without the label's expressed written consent. Page created 2/28/11, updated 2/28/11. Review Version 4.1 - PHP (Filmtracks Publications). Copyright © 2011-2013, Christian Clemmensen. All rights reserved. |
