My Best Friend's Wedding

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

James Newton Howard wrote a romantic comedy score in 1997. Nothing alarming yet! James was nominated for an Oscar for that score! The attention is somewhat sharpened. The score received a six minute introduction on CD while the complete soundtrack never received daylight. Now its WAR! Quite frankly, I didn't mind that much until I heard those 6 minutes of released material and I have to say that I'm very interested in this score, even so to get to ways that I can hear the music in full. Because for 6 minutes, James Newton Howard didn't turn to every trick in the book or used smaltz or basically it simply doesn't feel that way. This is 6 minutes of music that touches you, picks up your interest and in a film that scored so well, and had beauties like Cameron Diaz and Julia Roberts in it is sometimes all what people need to get crazy over. Howard's score is then also delightful and presents some very interesting ideas I would have loved to hear more from, and perhaps the Academy promo is an answer in the future. First of all the songs I deleted because I don't need them to get romantic over, that I leave to the score and by god its working to the bone. The 6 minute 'Suite from My Best Friend's Wedding' offers several very good ideas and themes and only if we could have heard more. It opens with a piano guided theme which is good but hardly receives attention on this cue, it somewhat reminds me of Waterworld's softest moments when Helen and the Mariner get close, and here its lovely from the start.

It gets a spine tingling moment around the first minute when piano leads to a short swelling of the orchestra with additional choir. Then a somewhat more playful touch is added (and listens a bit like Home Alone on parts) before on the third minute the best part of the score is reached, this playful theme receives its most charming playful version and listens as quick as it is brilliant, again this leads to a short choral moment. Further the cue moves to the end until swelling orchestra, bells and strings make way for the marrying hymn, ending somewhat weird but with a great unfinished fanfare. Its unbelievable that you could find so much in just 6 minutes and that is just the strength of this cue, or perhaps I would have to say music. It is then also a pure shame that we couldn't hear more of this glorifying music since a good romantic score is hard to find these days, no matter how charming they all sound. My Best Friend's Wedding is a score I deeply admire now and I hope I get in contact with a full release soon. Whether this means "any way necessary" is still the question since people have to comprehend that this above all had opportunities to win an Oscar. Of course, with Horner and Titanic it was unlikely but I have to address that Howard deserved that Oscar nomination with my fullest approval and even for 6 minutes, this cue proves what kind of romantic brilliance supported the diva's on screen.

My Best Friend's Wedding "Promo"

There are romantic comedies who keep hitting all the right notes and if it has Julia Roberts as leading lady, things can't go wrong before it hits blockbuster size. Pretty Woman was a case in point, Notting Hill a surprising hit and My Best Friend's Wedding a return to the good old days of happy marrying fiasco. Naturally the film didn't do only good for Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz, but also for composer James Newton Howard, who saw his score being nominated for Academy consideration. And not that its surprising since My Best Friend's Wedding is a light yet adorable romantic effort which does everything right and more. The original soundtrack offered us 6 minutes of bliss with the combination of 3 tracks mixed together to form one excellent whole. Yet, surely more had to be heard in advance and even if some things don't testify that, the Oscar promo proves to be a romantic hit for the souls out there. The soundtrack is short for just about 24 minutes and the sound quality is a little on the soft style since the original score made sure it was vibrant and stellar to hear. Yet, the quality of James Newton Howard's score is his sole voice and every track has something you will like, if you adore his voice and the romantic score that follows the taken path. Its however the touch of choir and the set of themes which make the soundtrack work and how? It shows us already from the first minute.

The opener 'E-Mail' has a wonderful marching tune that gets spine tingling playfulness when the first minute has passed and this idea and theme repeats itself in the track 'The Set Up' yet here the idea is expanded with choir and a waltz like development, its all short but so fun and good to hear. 'Main Titles' introduces us to the marrying like music with horns, bells and whatever to keep you in the mood and again this theme is repeated and expanded with some gusto and speed in 'The Garden Chase'. That's the wonderful aspect of returning themes, they repeat themselves but are a bit expanded with ideas. 'Marry Me!' has the wonderful piano moment with growing short choir for the happy outcome and is a highlight on itself. And apart from these, the tracks are all short but great to hear, with the 'Jules Makes an Entrance' being a noteworthy piece, a tuba and piano make a funny scherzo happening and variate the playful theme of track 1 and 8 before short swelling choir keeps making it better and better. And the somber music in 'Michael's Bad News' even gets the same assistance of that choir briefly. All in all, My Best Friend's Wedding has too much to simply ignore its romantic soul and spirit. Sure, its brief running time is a hindrance and the sound not getting any louder before you spot some hiss isn't a welcome fact but in even the short 1 minute tracks James Newton Howard makes things happening. It reminded me of parts like Alive and The Emperor's Club but is above all a lovely and great to listen to score, that has the themes and the choral touch to bless the romantic fools walking around on this planet. And if I'm not mistaken, aren't we all?

My Best Friend's Wedding: ***
My Best Friend's Wedding "Promo": ***1/2

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Suite From My Best Friend's Wedding (6.12) Excellent Track

Total Length: 6.12

My Best Friend's Wedding "Promo"

1. E-Mail (3.11)

2. You Were Jealous? (3.14)

3. Main Titles (1.09)

4. Michael's Bad News (1.03)

5. Marry Me! (2.04) Excellent Track

6. The Garden Chase (1.09) Excellent Track

7. Jules' Confession (2.35)

8. The Set Up (2.05) Excellent Track

9. Do You Love Him? (1.59)

10. Jules Makes The Call (0.53)

11. Jules Makes An Entrance (0.53)

12. Tell Him You Love Him (0.55)

13. It's Over (3.08)

Total Length: 24.51

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=== Link to Composer Site: James Newton Howard ===