Amazon.com
This belated sequel to
Meet the Parents crowned Ben Stiller as 2004's unlikely top male box office draw, shrewdly offering Randy Newman another welcome showcase for his composing and songwriting talents in the bargain. Two buoyant Newman original songs kick things off in fine fashion, even if the upbeat shuffle "We're Gonna Get Married" and rousing, 1950s-seeped "Crazy 'Bout My Baby" aren't quite as snarky as his sardonic pop album canon. But his half-dozen underscore cues display an orchestral comic sense that's second to none, from the title track farrago to more parodying romps like "Suspicious Minds" and "Jack." Newman may coax sweet symphonic sentimentality and looming tension like a master here, but seldom passes up an opportunity to kick them squarely in the pants for comedic payoff. The collection is rounded out by Canned Heat's bright "Going Up the Country" and Tim Hardin's stately original version of the Bobby Darin hit "If I Were a Carpenter," as well as a pair of pleasant dub tracks by HeadBone.
--Jerry McCulley