Powerful interaction between soundtrack and dialog

Rating: 9/10 (17 January 2006)

A big part of this film's appeal is the interplay between Thomas Newman's soundtrack and the simple yet profound dialog. The CD score stands up as a great work on its own. It alternates between brooding piano and powerful orchestration, with a few oldies added for context.
Three scenes, named by corresponding tracks, are especially poignant. The first is "Brooks Was Here," followed by "Zihuatanejo" and "So Was Red" (that title carries over from the Brooks track). To me, the third is among the most moving sequences in film history. You can't top Morgan Freeman saying "Get busy livin'..." as the inspiring music plays in the background.