Customer Reviews

An Unfinished Life [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The orchestral sounds are beautiful and evocative of the loneliness and heartbreak depicted in the movie. Thankfully there are no vocals to distract from the mood. Lurie's score is lush and suffused with grief and unrealized possibility, as well as hope and redemption. Although soundtracks of movies such as this one can easily be cliched and overly maudlin or sentimental without much depth, there is much about this one that rings true. The musical description of the bear (jaunty, jazzy, sassy, irreverent, and at times dangerous and threatening)is especially perceptive, given the role of the bear in the movie as metaphor for the terrifying things that we must all face. An excellent score, beautifully performed.

Definitely see the movie before buying the soundtrack, as the score have so much more meaning...

Like the other review here, I too found this score does a wonderful job at depicting the lonliness and heartbreak of the film, but also balances with forgiveness and redemption. And it's all orchestra...no vocals! Having vocals accompanied on this score would have distracted immensely. This is a soundtrack I am finding myself listening to often and highly recommend this movie as well as the soundtrack. What is so sad is the that the bear does signify the fear/teror we all must face, but so few of us take that leap of faith needed to face the giants in our lives. This film (and soundtrack) takes us through the process and then celebrates the triumph of an ordinary man who held onto grief and unforgivensss for 10 years, who finally decides to let it go. Truly a haunting but thoughtful score that will inspire in the listener/viewer to find the courage within to face one's most terrifying battles...despite the fear.

This film has all the qualities of a classic. A family picture with values. If you haven't seen it, rent it or buy it. An unusual grouping of actors, but it works very very well. In the tradition of James Stewart humor... classic and funny, yet the film has a deeper serious quality that reminds us how important a single life can be.

An Unfinished Life
This movie was okay. I didn't hate it and I didn't fall in love with it. The scenery is magnificent and the soundtrack was fabulous. It was so fabulous that I bought it! A very easy listening sound with a hint of westerness (is that a word?) to it. I highly recommend the music.

I absolutely LOVE this soundtrack, and can listen to it all night long. Changes something deep inside. Deborah Lurie is one of a very small handful of female soundtrack composers and I consider "An Unfinished Life" to be one of the highest forms of this art.

I cannot find words to express what she has brought forth and given birth to, but this soundtrack gives the film story, our story, shape and form and brings all the words of forgiveness and vitality, longing and life into musical form. She has created and brought to earth the Angels on High... a Painting of the World, as we know it.

Listening to this score, to this song, to this cadence and dance of eternal emotion. God moves us in mysterious ways and Laurie has moved us around and round, up and down. Finally I want to live.

Gloria Hallelujah, Amen.

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http://www.ascap.com/playback/2004/summer/new-members.html

Deborah Lurie

Early in her musical life composer Deborah Lurie discovered she had a condition called synesthesia, whereby the sound of a note causes her to visualize a certain color. She might be able to tell you what note coincides with green, for she is certain to see much more of that color these days - in the form of money. Lurie recently completed her first studio feature film score for the MGM teen comedy/adventure Sleepover, directed by Joe Nussbaum.

Shortly after graduation from the USC School of Music with the composition department award, Deborah scored Nussbaum's award winning short film George Lucas In Love. In the following years, Deborah scored many independent films and composed additional music for Disney's animated series Hercules, Touchstone's Bubble Boy and Miramax's View From the Top and My Baby's Daddy. Recent original film scores include Whirlygirl (directed by Dances With Wolves producer Jim Wilson) and the upcoming Sony Classics film Imaginary Heroes starring Sigourney Weaver and Jeff Daniels, in which she incorporated a theme by X2 composer John Ottman. In addition to film music, Deborah has worked extensively in rock and pop music as an arranger and producer. She has written string arrangements for rock albums including Hoobastank's 2004 chart topper The Reason. She has also produced, arranged, and composed additional music for the live cabaret show The Pussycat Dolls at The Roxy Theater, which featured guest stars Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, and Christina Applegate, among others.