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This intense first feature by actor-turned-director Todd Field daringly ventures into an emotionally unsettling minefield of family and romantic relationships gone dangerously wrong. Field, hailed for his masterful touch with the difficult material, shrewdly chose Thomas Newman to score the film. Known almost as much for what's not in his frequently modernistic scores--i.e. traditional dramatic themes and overwrought orchestral sentimentality--Newman once again follows his experimental muse to great effect here. The work is considerably less percussive than similar compositions he's attempted, and he succeeds by a less-is-more strategy that's unafraid to let spare piano notes hang in the air like haunting spirits or concoct intriguing, inscrutable studio-enhanced sound washes conjured from acoustic and electronic sources. But that's not to say Newman's operating from formula: the understated strings of "Baseball" betray a masterful understanding of tradition, and three a cappella choral cues performed by the Newark Balkan Chorus impart yet another compelling layer of humanity to the score. The scion of Hollywood scoring legend Alfred Newman again shows his musical instincts are all his own as he continues to gratifyingly redefine the art of modern film scoring. --Jerry McCulley
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 weak, repetitive |
| Review Date: July 7, 2003 |
| Reviewer: A. Lewis, Gainesville, GA USA |
| I am a big fan of Thomas Newman. This is just too much the same on every track, unless you like the Balkan dirge(s) for variety. |
In The Bedroom Motion Picture Soundtrack
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| Review Date: August 31, 2002 |
| Reviewer: , |
| After seeing this brilliant film three times, I eventualy knew that I had to have the soundtrack. After listening to all of the CD'S lush and powerful tracks, I realized that this is Thomas Newman's best and most carefully composed score, because it so perfectly fits and aligns precisely with the film, its characters, and the mood of each scene. I am very disappointed that Oscar did not even consider this for a Best Original Score nomination. Not only the score, but the film as well should've received more acclaim because it truly was the best film of the year. |
Don't waste your money and electricity
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| Review Date: July 30, 2002 |
| Reviewer: GEOFFREY LONG, Tokyo Japan |
After reading 2 reviews about this here - I thought I would try out the CD.
I have not seen the movie but the soundtrack really is not for listening to as an entity in its own right.
Totally void of any musical interest to me and I will assign to the bin - I cannot give this away for sure.
What a waste of resources this is... |
"award winning score...his best ever...Thomas Newman"
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| Review Date: April 2, 2002 |
| Reviewer: J. Lovins, Missouri-USA |
This powerful drama shines while director Todd Field takes charge with his debut at the
helm...outstanding cast of players Sissy Spacek (Ruth Fowler), Tom Wilkinson (Matt
Fowler), Nick Stahl (Frank Fowler), Marisa Tomei (Natalie Strout), William R. Mapother
(Richard Strout) each giving an outstanding performance with nominations and wins from
Sundance, Academy, American Film Institute, British Academy Awards, Broadcast Film
Critics Association, Golden Globe, National Board of Review, New York Film Critics Circle
and Screen Actors Guild...takes this family drama to a psychological bleak plain. However, composer Thomas Newman has tailored each cue to fit the film...total perfection
claims the screenplay and the actors respond...this has to be the finest score ever, in
Newman's career...cannot think of one soundtrack recently that compares to this gem...he has
sculptured the music to each individual on the screen...piano melodies bring out Newman's
creativity that takes you into the film, pure musical drama rings clear from Evanne Weirich
(director) of the Newark Balkan Chorus and the Hollywood Studio Symphony with from the
heart orchestration. Standing ovation for ~ Robert Townson (executive producer), Varese Sarabande, Bill
Bernstein (producer) and soon to be legendary in the scoring department ~ Thomas
Newman...this is a keeper for the many "film-score-buff" collectors out there, gotta love it! Total Time: 30:40 on 19 Tracks ~ Varese Sarabande 302-066-319-2 ~ (2002) |
IN THE BEDROOM SOUNDTRACK IS IN THE BAG FOR OSCAR
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| Review Date: January 21, 2002 |
| Reviewer: G. McDermott, Palm Springs |
| Thomas Newmans soundtrack/score for "In the Bedroom" is haunting, surreal, poetic, uplifting and sad at any given time. I honestly have never heard a soundtrack to a movie besides "Gattaca" that fits a movie with the soul and feelings of the characters and the moods of each scene. Newman hits gold with a soundtrack that is as subtle as the actions of its characters and the movie that surrounds it. Definitely my pick for OSCAR soundtrack, along with Spacek as Best Actress, and Marisa Tomei defies all odds showing her real acting chops with a supporting role of a life time that deserves and should get a nomination to overcome the "My Cousin Vinny" fiasco., also Tom Wilkinson (My Full Monty) shows compassion as the father of the broken down family where the soundtrack curves around these 3 characters molding the music to their every move, nuance, sound and gesture. An outstanding film and a soundtrack that if I could give it 10 stars I would, that fits the movie like a glove. Hats off to Thomas Newman who took a score that actually feels like the people and movie that was made. |
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