SOUNDTRACK Offers Only a Godless Pursuit of Worldly Desires
By Ashley Ausburn, Contributing Writer
SOUNDTRACK follows the story of Sam, Eleanor and the people around them. Although the series tries to tell a complex and emotional story, it falls flat with its roundabout storytelling techniques and questionable content.
Sam struggles with losing his wife and raising his son by himself, while Eleanor works to balance her relationship with her friends and family with her dream of being an artist. Eleanor’s actress mother, Margot, fights to be a good mother and grandmother, and Sam’s cousin Dante has trouble adjusting to life outside of prison.
The show explores almost every character, each from their own perspective, creating an interwoven story told from several vantage points. In this way, every episode has scenes from both the past and the present and usually has between two and four perspective swaps.
The dominant worldview in SOUNDTRACK is Romanticism, with a string theme of materialism. Each character in the show struggles between what their heart tells them to do and what others tell them to do. They question whether to follow their passion at the expense of everything else, even if it defies logic and causes the people in their lives to suffer. The show emphasizes being happy above anything else and making choices that will get you there. Yet despite this emphasis on personal happiness, only two of the characters attain a happy ending by the end of the first season. The rest are left with unresolved storylines. SOUNDTRACK doesn’t mention God, a belief system, or any strong faith. The emphasis is solely on temporal desires.
SOUNDTRACK unfortunately relies heavily on foul language. Characters use profanities and obscenities in abundance as well as take the Lord’s name in vain several times. Viewers see instances of drug use and gang-related violence, including a scene when gang members jump two characters and beat them with no warning. In another episode, a car hits two different characters at an intersection. Characters of legal drinking age drink alcohol. Other immoralities include fraud, theft, and lying.
The series has several implied sex scenes between unmarried people, and the main character gets an abortion. In addition to the abortion, the character gets pregnant again from continued unmarried intercourse with the same man. SOUNDTRACK doesn’t depict any nudity, but it does show women in bras and underwear, dancers showing their belly, and shirtless men. The show has a passing reference to homosexuality in which Annette confides in Sam that she thinks her daughter Leah and Leah’s female friend might be “up to something.” But she’s not specific about it.
It took this series 10 episodes to convey what 2 or 3 well-written episodes could have. Many characters were underdeveloped, and several storylines ended without any resolution or significant development in either their mindset and personal outlook or their scenario. The emphasis on attaining happiness is ironic given the ending several characters receive, some of them quite sad. The series’ pacing issue could be partially due to repeating arguments and issues between characters. Nothing truly gets resolved until the last episode, when two of the intersecting storylines find a compromise that works for both parties.
The dancing during the musical scenes is well choreographed, and the songs are well chosen, accurately fitting the mood of the character lip-syncing them. However, the show seems to chase its tail, turning circles over the importance of following your dreams and attaining happiness while none of the characters really manage to do so. Happy endings are in short supply in SOUNDTRACK, and much is left unsaid at the end.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
- Content: +2Share:
- Content: +2