The charming My Name Is Joe achieves a perfect balance between whimsy and weight. George Fenton’s supple, jazz-inspired melodies boast a decided Me Decade sensibility in lockstep with the movie’s wild and wooly comedic outlook, but a series of more introspective themes, most notably the lovely piano melody “Sarah’s Theme,” lend some welcome emotional heft to the proceedings. Debonair’s soundtrack release adds a pair of vintage hippie anthems (Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit in the Sky” and Status Quo’s “Down the Dustpipe”) alongside Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major and snatches of dialogue from the film. It’s something of a mess, all things considered, but Fenton’s contributions demand attention regardless. – Jason Ankeny
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