The Family Man (Promo)

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

As Danny Elfman said on occasions, "if there is one thing I love ... it is sad music". And while The Family Man isn't exactly sad music, it is still music far away from the style most people accustom with the name of Danny Elfman. And perhaps the reason why he loves sad music is because when Danny sets that heart of him in motion, he can make movie magic happen on screen. Give him a scene where it is snowing and some kind of impact has to be created, then you will see what I mean. Edward Scissorhands had these moments and made it spectacular, The Family Man became as a movie experience dazzling at occasions. This to the emotional climax that Elfman reaches through his choir and beautiful melodic voice. In the movie, it is clear that the score is without a doubt perfect in every sense, yet on score you feel the burden of just one thing. Not getting the same effect as in the movie due to too many short tracks. From track 7 to 22 most of these moments run for about 30 seconds to a minute and Elfman can't bring something of value. Yet give him several pieces of 5 minutes and you'll see what I mean with Elfman Christmas magic. And here is where The Family Man is simply a shame that it hasn't been released in commercial form.

The score indeed is one of the rare Elfman scores not to receive full publicity and appeared on the song album in several tracks. The promo that was considered for Oscar nomination was the only answer to the prayers of many, and this includes the spectacular moments of the score. Elfman overall wrote a great score and the moments I'm talking about are sensational but the short tracks can not bring me to grade this score higher for just those moments. After all, the listening experience isn't reached to its greatest spectrum. Still, on to the score. 'Intro Logos' and 'Prelude' bring in the begin already the main theme in order, but as said Elfman doesn't unleash its fullest development until the end, even though I don't find out the great difference between several well stated versions in the begin and end. This main theme will appear the most in the soundtrack, and whenever there is a soft drama moment, its there. The other moment is the short but bouncy theme that appears several times, 'Main Titles' is short and to the point but great and a variation of it is found in track 22. Also besides the Christmas and dreamy mood of the score, it also exhibits some darker moments. 'Sweet Dreams' is dark and disturbing (portraying the hold up in the shop) and the discovery of Jack's fantasy tale is equally sometimes urgent, disturbing and uneasy. 'Revelation' with its choral flashes is proof of that even if the track before is much more disturbing then that. Overall this score is either drama and dreamy or dark and unsettling. Yet the end is as usual Elfman at his best.

The first long track is 'Promise' which uses piano statements, light choral moments and several statements of the main theme, but it can't compare to the brilliant climax in the next 'Farewell', the choir just grows at a time and the Elfman magic rises until typically Elfman like, it stops with a brass punctuation of magnitude. In the movie it is sensational, on disc it equally blows you away. However if one moment (as Elfman calls it using his experience of Oingo Boingo's zany sound) is different, then 'Final Confrontation' is it with its rather different but perfectly variation on guitar of the main theme. The sole choral flash of brilliance in 'Grand Finale / End Titles' is just what a score like this needs and ends it perfectly. All together The Family Man is a 4 star score in a 3 star listening experience. Reason for this is why the score receives the middle of that rating. The moments that are here, brilliant and the occasional difference is comforting for the enjoyability. But the short moments in the middle don't make it as pleasing like that. And that is sad because I feel that even for a 42 minute running time listen, it could have been so much. Take it from me, I always thought it would receive a 4 star rating and basically it is, but in a begin and end version where the middle simply stops to bring the same is nothing that can make me change it otherwise. I however fully recommend The Family Man for its brilliance, coming in two of the best tracks composed that year 2000.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Intro Logos (0.50)

2. Prelude (2.08)

3. Main Titles (1.19)

4. It's Showtime (1.20)

5. Sweet Dreams (1.18)

6. Anywhere ... But Here (1.29)

7. Flashbacks (0.44)

8. The Homecoming (0.59)

9. Revelation (1.07)

10. The Garden (0.53)

11. Childhood Remembered (0.46)

12. Christmas Eve Montage (1.15)

13. Sore Spots (1.47)

14. A New Man (1.03)

15. Beautiful Day (0.26)

16. Weepy Donuts (0.39)

17. Annie Yearns (0.46)

18.Jack's Lament (1.10)

19. Face To Face (0.37)

20. Everybody Goes (0.36)

21. Change Of Life / Luncheonette (1.40)

22. A New Day (0.46)

23. Promise (5.04)

24. Farewell (4.52) Excellent Track

25. Bye Kate / Hard Times (1.07)

26. Final Confrontation (2.32)

27. Grand Finale / End Titles (5.13) Excellent Track

Total Length: 42.31

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=== Link to Composer Site: Danny Elfman ===