A review by JAMES SOUTHALL

2004's The Big Bounce finally gives audiences what they have been crying out for for so long, the first on-screen union of those two acting gods, Owen Wilson and Vinnie Jones.  Also slumming it are Morgan Freeman and Gary Sinise, along with the rather lovely Sara Foster.  And Willie Nelson.  Based on Elmore Leonard's novel, it's a stylish light comedy caper set in Hawaii seeing various characters' paths suddenly intersecting.  It hasn't exactly attracted the best of reviews, but has certainly seen a few positive ones, as is fairly common with movies based on Leonard's writing.

Along for the ride is composer George S. Clinton, who keeps his tongue firmly in his cheek throughout the score.  Unfortunately he does seem to have become somewhat typecast for screwball comedies following his Austin Powers scores, but then he is very good at them.  He has a lot of fun with the location, using a Hawaiian steel guitar in amusing fashion throughout, and also building in prominent roles for a ukelele and baritone sax.  Add in a string section and some percussion and you get some pleasant, easy-going music that is highly attractive throughout.  There isn't much substance to it (as you may expect) and the fact that the cues are all so short means that the listener never really feels that he is experiencing more than a series of short, pleasant vignettes rather than a full-blown meal, but that's all it's intended to be, and all a score for a movie like this could ever be.

It's difficult to know what else to say about The Big Bounce - it's not going to appear on anyone's "best of 2004" list, but then it's almost impossible to dislike.  Fans of light comedy music will not be disappointed.

Tracks

1. Big Bounce (1:30)
2. Better Hot (1:09)
3. The Bitches (1:14)
4. Swimming (1:32)
5. Glass Jaw (1:04)
6. Chinaman's Hat (:26)
7. Up to Something (1:11)
8. Black Sea (1:22)
9. Keiki Vista (2:16)
10. The Con (:55)
11. The Wrong House (2:00)
12. Diving (:56)
13. Upstairs / Downstairs (2:31)
14. The Show (1:41)
15. Heads Up (1:48)
16. The Truth (:53)
17. Which Bitch? (1:35)
18. Special Honk (2:02)
19. Moonlight (1:19)
20. The Bounce (1:30)
21. The Body (2:28)
22. A Kiss for Luck (1:17)
23. Sail Away (1:32)