Track of the Week 12th March 2015

Each week I choose a song from a movie which may be popular or not. The only criteria is that its a great song and it fits the scene in the film perfectly. Let me know if you agree.

This film is a masterpiece. Lester (Kevin Spacey) and Carolyn Burnham (Annette Bening) are on the outside, a perfect husband and wife, in a perfect house, in a perfect neighbourhood.

But inside, Lester is slipping into a hopeless depression. He finally snaps when he becomes infatuated with one of his daughter’s friends. Meanwhile, his daughter Jane is developing a happy friendship with a shy boy-next-door named Ricky, who lives with an abusive father.

The scene I have chosen is the opening sequence. The music by Thomas Newman coupled with Kevin Spacey’ s dialogue make the perfect partnership of someone who’s decent into depression is escalating right from the first frame and the track emphasises that something bad is eventually going to happen.

The film won Oscars for Best Picture, Best leading Actor, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography. It was also nominated for three others, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Film Editing and Best Music Original Score.

In total the film has won over 114 awards and according to IMDB.com is 61 in the top 250 films of all time.