The music doesn't fit at all, that pop music sounds so out of place with all the scenes, why did they do that?
shareYes. Stiller has directed comedy very well and here he is doing drama. Two complete songs at the very start of the show and louder than the dialogue going on. Right away I feared that the show was going to be 80's tv caliber. The episode plodded along slowly and was heavy with music from that long ago era, "the 2015's" just so we get the feel of the zeitgeist. This conspicuous overuse of music combined with the very weak script made it hard to want to watch another one. I am compelled by the story and was somewhat familiar with it when it happened but I'm not sure I can take more of the same.
Anyone further along attest to Stiller and the writers getting more comfortable? I like Stiller. I want him to do better than this. Much better. Tropic Thunder was genius.
I think the loudness of the music is symbolically to mask the secret underlying things that are taking place. Just like when they are sawing the wall, they made loud noise to cover up the sound. The same thing goes for the loud music over people's innermost feelings.
So the loud music doesn't bother me.
Nor does it bother me. In fact, I think this series makes outstanding music choices. Very impressed with the whole production so far. I think that the music fits extremely well.
To be proactive: I’ve said what I have to say. I’m not going to debate this. I’m not going to discuss this. I am entirely satisfied with my conclusion, and I am done.
The volume of the music was only an issue to me at the start (the 2nd song IN A ROW*) because it was louder than the dialogue. I don't share the "masking" theory. My problem was neither the music choices, although they seemed a weird mix of period-contemporary and mood-driven. My big complaint about the music is the overwhelming overuse of it. Virtually a music video. It gave it a tiresome feel like later episodes of Miami Vice. The director is too busy trying to create a feel to get anything interesting done. Music is great and a powerful ingredient in the hands of a capable director. This one came out a bit too salty.
*Seriously. It was like 12 minutes into the show before the ball gets rolling. We have to watch two music videos of sad people schlepping about before the story crawls into low speed. I call that abusive to the audience.
And that’s a fair call. On another thread here I’ve said that it doesn’t seem to me that this story needs 7 hours to tell. Perhaps the economics of show production demand a minimum number of episodes to justify set construction and the like; but I’m up-to-date on the series, and more than satisfied with it, on balance. I hope you are, as well.
We’re humans. We don’t get perfection. We understand it, we just are not it.
Having watched up to the 3rd episode, I am much happier. The directing is much improved. The acting is also well done (effectively delivering some pretty disgusting content). I now like the show. My only remaining complaint is that the script is often lame. That I can deal with.
I was wondering how they were going to fill the full run of episodes as well. I remember only a little bit of the actual story so that helps, I guess. Assuming the latter half will be on-the-run excitement.
I’m glad that you stuck with it!
shareIt unfortunately seems to be a trend of late. A recent Lizzy Borden mini-series with Christina Ricci and the Houdini one with that Adrien Brody dude had similarly ”does not fit” music. (Those two the music also did not fit with the times)
shareThe music seems fine to me.
The song at the end of episode 5 where they are finally out on the street in the middle of the night was perfect imo.
Gordon Lightfoot's Carefree Highway
https://youtu.be/w-6if333Lak