Soundtrack Review: ‘Home of the Brave Soundtrack’

By Jeff Swindoll Dec 16, 2006, 13:02 GMT

Home of the Brave is in theaters now.

Home of the Brave tells the stories of four soldiers returning from Iraq.  Will (Samuel L. Jackson) drowns his sorrows in alcohol upon his return home, Vanessa (Jessica Biel) is a single mother who has lost her hand and has to adjust to her new prosthetic one, Jamal (50 Cent) has anger issues, and Tommy (Brian Pressley) has emotional problems.  Director Irwin Winkler set out to tell of the new American vets that are returning home from war in this new movie due in theaters in December 2006.

Stephen Endelman composed the score and contributes 18 tracks of music on the CD.  The music has both an ethnic tinge to it, with parts filled what I would consider nods to Iraqi culture, and the sweeping music that we find in most war films. What will be of interest to most it the first track of the CD.  It is a new song called “Try Not to Remember” performed by Sheryl Crow. 

Crow was shown the film by Winkler and she wrote this original song after being moved by the film.  The song is an interesting one and good, but from that plot description I wonder if any of the returning vets are portrayed as being able to adjust?  The plot description makes it sound like the soldiers are pretty messed up to me (not that war of any kind is a pretty thing and easily sloughed off). 

However, this review is supposed to deal with the soundtrack and not the movie.  I thought the music was solid and Sheryl Crow’s song was very good as well.  Let’s just hope that the movie paints a respectful portrait of our returning soldiers and does not make them into the stereotypical crazy Vietnam veterans (which by my understanding were few and far between).  Yes, war is not a picnic but freedom sometimes isn’t free. 

‘Home of the Brave Soundtrack’ is now available at Amazon. Visit the soundtrack database for more information.