Filmtracks Traffic Rank: #1,186
Written 5/26/00, Revised 4/15/07
Invert Colors
Buy it... only if you enjoyed the performances by Loudon Wainwright
III in the film.
Avoid it... if you expect anything more than droning electronic
base, tired drum pad hits, and lazy rhythm loops from Richard Gibbs'
score.
 |
| Gibbs |
28 Days: (Richard Gibbs) With almost laughable
insincerity, 28 Days is an unrealistic Hollywood interpretation
of how rehab clinics should work. Taking us on this all-too-fluffy
journey is Sandra Bullock, who attempted to use the film to redirect her
career to a more serious, dramatic direction. Unfortunately, the lack of
true trials and temptations depicted in the plot caused audiences and
critics to be unconvinced about Bullock's transition and the film
bombed. Almost as anonymous as the rest of the picture was the score by
Richard Gibbs, who, over the first ten years of his career, had made a
living out of providing low cost scores for films that seemed to rise
and fade very quickly from public view. There had been some exceptions,
with Dr. Dolittle and 10 Things I Hate About You serving
as major assignments, but as you can tell from those titles, Gibbs is
the kind of composer who's always scoring those dumb blockbusters that
are almost never remembered for their original scores. Gibbs was a
founding member of Oingo Boingo, and while that involvement has led to
steady work on films that don't require award-winning scores, he still
hasn't been able to transcend in the industry like Danny Elfman or Steve
Bartek. His music tends to be simplistic and electronically driven, led
by jazzy and light rock styles, and while this overarching style works
for many films by definition, it doesn't lend itself well to standalone
listening. In the case of 28 Days, Gibbs' score would be
completely overshadowed by the incorporation of songs in the film --not
unusual in his projects-- and the same would apply to this particular
film's album release. The variety of country western songs and a
low-key, modest underscore causes the album to pass very quickly and
without much notice, not even stirring up enough imagination to even
result in the usual conflicts that arise on such combo albums.
In its intent to add a hip, country style to the film's
locale, the music of
28 Days has the makings of a Mark Knopfler
score, but without all of the associated spirit. Why this particular
clinic in the film merited that kind of down-to-earth score might be
quested by some, especially in a professional sense. On the other hand,
Gibbs' score certainly does one thing better than others that most
listeners will have heard: capture the essence of a drunken stupor. The
first score track on the album uses sliding, octave-wavering synthesizer
scales to imitate the drunken state of the film's main character, almost
to the level of comedy. After this track, the remaining score has the
tone and energy of a person in a daze (or perhaps a hangover), with the
slides of the drunkeness toned back and accompanied by the occasional
distant wail of a siren. Is this supposed to have a psychological
impact? Gibbs' contribution has very little enthusiasm to offer, often
held to a minimalistic droning of electronic base, tired drum pad hits,
and lazy rhythm loops. With the country western songs interspersed like
score tracks, Gibbs' music takes on the same features; its most vibrant
outburst occurs during the all-too-short "Ode de Toilet." Even the
moments of orchestral underscore are bleak, with a minimal number of
players performing repetitive, themeless bars. With a rise of percussion
and various electric guitars, the score exits with one upbeat note in
its final track. What makes the album even more difficult to appreciate
is its construct. At thirty-six minutes overall, the album contains less
than twenty minutes of Gibbs' score. The rest of the material consists
of songs that weave in and out of the score, sometimes within even the
same track. The country songs will likely be of more interest to most of
those who purchase this album; the vocal selections by Loudon Wainwright
III perhaps best fit the spirit of the film, especially given his
appearance in the film itself. In the end, however, one can only wonder
why this album is in existence, for it doesn't really offer enough in
score or song to satisfy either camp.
** @Amazon.com: CD or
Download
