ANY QUESTIONS FOR BEN? – SOUNDTRACK
A film soundtrack can be a number of things. It can be a condensation of the most listenable, stand-alone moments from the film’s composed score. It can be a chance to listen to the film’s eclectic song selections which might be hard to source from elsewhere. And, in the case of Any Questions For Ben?, it can simply serve as a well-chosen playlist. The film, directed by legendary Australian producer Rob Sitch, tells the tale of a Melburnian yuppie’s realisation of his own material existence and reconsideration of the important things in life. The soundtrack is largely home-grown, too – indeed, virtually every big name in current Australian rock music is included. Powderfinger, Silverchair, John Butler Trio, You Am I, Angus and Julia Stone – they’re all featured in Any Questions For Ben? But are they? The ‘official soundtrack’ features two CDs, thirty tracks and nearly two hours of solid music – quite a feat for a movie which clocks in at comfortably under two hours. Realistically, though, the songs which make up the soundtrack aren’t there to complement the story being told. They’re there to serve as an ‘Aussie’ playlist which will hopefully win favour with viewers here and possibly overseas. A well-chosen playlist, sure, but is it really anything we couldn’t have found for ourselves?
***
