The Adjustment Bureau
Thomas Newman
" Are you a registered Thomas Newman listener? "Written by Thomas Glorieux - Review of the download only release
There are trailers that get me excited about a specific movie until I eventually see it. Then there are movies that honor those trailers by bringing the same quality in only longer duration and better quality. And then there are composers that try to underscore that quality so delicately, it makes their contribution forgettable. I've heard Thomas Newman in a lot of movies, and The Adjustment Bureau is one of those scores that wasn't terribly noticed. Not that this is a bad sign for the score in general, but it's not like we received another Meet Joe Black at all. Which is of course another good reason that there are composers that try to do it differently each time they tackle a project.
Of course Thomas will always have his distinguishable style, but there is always something different in each score we listen to. In the case of The Adjustment Bureau one could say it's the rock element, the bass, beats, percussion (and occasionally an ethnic influence) in cues such as "Inflection Points", "Square-one Reset", "Pier 17" and "Escher Loop" that heighten the chase throughout most of David's adventures, but not enough to make them memorable while playing them.
Of course we hear the same atmosphere returning, whether it's through the expected eerie bells and violin in "Fate", through the fantasy elements of the guitar in "Elise", or through the dreamy piano in "Four Elections", everything about this music feels dreamy and mysterious, keeping the listener constantly alert that something could happen. Sadly this happens without direct statements of themes or returning melodies that make it hard to distinguish it from one and another after a while. A pure orchestral breeze ala "None of Them are You" is lovely but not enough, the ingenious piano playing in "The Substrate" does pull you out of your brief hibernation and the final cue "The Ripples must be Endless (End Title) " sums up the mystery and tone of the score perfectly. Yet somehow it doesn't feel like it's enough.
Because there's a reason why The Adjustment Bureau didn't make itself noticeable in the film. Because without an actual theme or hook to hold on to, it's hard to remember it after a while. Again what's written here is Newman doing his usual techniques, but somehow it lacks a spark that could have elevated it beyond something more. I can't say a lot that's bad about The Adjustment Bureau, nor can I say a lot that turned out great.
Track Listing
1. Fate (0.39)
2. Inflection Points (1.42)
3. Elise (3.27)
4. Four Elections (1.46)
5. Future's Bright: Richard Ashcroft (5.51)
6. The Girl on the Bus (2.42)
7. Square-one Reset (2.21)
8. Richardson (2.21)
9. None of Them are You (2.15)
10. New Leaf (2.53)
11. Pier 17 (3.22)
12. Recalibration (1.35)
13. The Substrate (1.32)
14. Real Kiss (1.54)
15. Fever (Adam Freeland extended Remix): Sarah Vaughan (7.02)
16. The Illusion of Free Will (2.32)
17. Escher Loop (4.14)
18. The Ripples must be Endless (End Title) (3.14)
19. Are you Ready: Richard Ashcroft (5.02)
Total Length: 56.24
Of course Thomas will always have his distinguishable style, but there is always something different in each score we listen to. In the case of The Adjustment Bureau one could say it's the rock element, the bass, beats, percussion (and occasionally an ethnic influence) in cues such as "Inflection Points", "Square-one Reset", "Pier 17" and "Escher Loop" that heighten the chase throughout most of David's adventures, but not enough to make them memorable while playing them.
Of course we hear the same atmosphere returning, whether it's through the expected eerie bells and violin in "Fate", through the fantasy elements of the guitar in "Elise", or through the dreamy piano in "Four Elections", everything about this music feels dreamy and mysterious, keeping the listener constantly alert that something could happen. Sadly this happens without direct statements of themes or returning melodies that make it hard to distinguish it from one and another after a while. A pure orchestral breeze ala "None of Them are You" is lovely but not enough, the ingenious piano playing in "The Substrate" does pull you out of your brief hibernation and the final cue "The Ripples must be Endless (End Title) " sums up the mystery and tone of the score perfectly. Yet somehow it doesn't feel like it's enough.
Because there's a reason why The Adjustment Bureau didn't make itself noticeable in the film. Because without an actual theme or hook to hold on to, it's hard to remember it after a while. Again what's written here is Newman doing his usual techniques, but somehow it lacks a spark that could have elevated it beyond something more. I can't say a lot that's bad about The Adjustment Bureau, nor can I say a lot that turned out great.
Track Listing
1. Fate (0.39)
2. Inflection Points (1.42)
3. Elise (3.27)
4. Four Elections (1.46)
5. Future's Bright: Richard Ashcroft (5.51)
6. The Girl on the Bus (2.42)
7. Square-one Reset (2.21)
8. Richardson (2.21)
9. None of Them are You (2.15)
10. New Leaf (2.53)
11. Pier 17 (3.22)
12. Recalibration (1.35)
13. The Substrate (1.32)
14. Real Kiss (1.54)
15. Fever (Adam Freeland extended Remix): Sarah Vaughan (7.02)
16. The Illusion of Free Will (2.32)
17. Escher Loop (4.14)
18. The Ripples must be Endless (End Title) (3.14)
19. Are you Ready: Richard Ashcroft (5.02)
Total Length: 56.24