The way the critics saw it, the director Curtis Hanson didn't leave his fans feeling particularly lucky for having seen Lucky You, the Drew Barrymore-Eric Bana film from which this soundtrack was taken. But you don't need to get on board with the movie, or the brutal but brilliant game of Texas Hold'Em, to appreciate this thoughtfully compiled batch of music. "Huck's Tune," the song most apt to drive this CD's sales, is a new composition -- and a good one -- from
Bob Dylan. Like a lot of recent
Dylan songs, it's sweet, bruising and elegiac; as closing track, it leaves its listeners with a contented sigh. Elsewhere,
Kris Kristofferson stares old age in the eye on another dignified new track, "They Ain't Got 'Em All," and Drew Barrymore is surprisingly not bad on the poignant "The Cold, Hard Truth." For
Bruce Springsteen fans, the best moment of the disc will arrive on track five. "The Fever," a little-known but well-loved bluesy number, gives new meaning to the concept of musical sizzle. ~ Tammy La Gorce