Four Review: Small-Cast Drama Delivers Big Emotions
Directed by Canyon Prince and based on Ashley Berry’s memoir “Waiting for Rainbows,” "Four" is an emotionally charged domestic drama exploring the highs and lows of building a family.
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Rating: 3 out of 5.
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
In India, “Hum Do, Hamare Do” is a well-known family planning slogan, which translates to “Two of us, two of ours.” The government promoted the idea that two children were more than enough to complete a family. The phrase came to mind while watching “Four,” a film about a couple struggling with fertility issues, dreaming of having…
Steal My Girl: I'll allow it bc they sound great plus I feel like it was cathartic for them. Catchy as hell too.
Ready to Run: Sad yet empowering. Absolutely love.
WDBHG: Timeless. Perfect. More rock than most and I love it.
18: So freaking beautiful. Nice showing of ranges and harmonizing abilities.
Girl Almighty: Listen someday I'm going to get a lightning tattoo. Need I say more? Okay I will- one of those songs I can't help but chair dance to.
Fool's Gold: Perfect pretty angst song. Also timeless.
Night Changes: Perfect pretty existential crisis song. Also one of the best to really showcase each of them, so I can appreciate it for that.
No Control: This might be the song that gets us to actually sing along if Louis covers it. He absolutely owns that chorus and could easily own the whole damn thing. (Not that the others don't sound great in og but you feel me).
Fireproof: Also timeless. Perfect love song. Wanna say genreless too.
Spaces: Sad but beautiful. Fight me. One of those that really only works as a group. Cry with me. Also I feel like SotT is kinda a reflection/answer to this in a way.
Stockholm Syndrome: Classic. Harry proved it can be timeless too. Very Harry song overall. As it should be. Bty kinda reminiscent?
Clouds: Probably my top only-all-of-them-can-sing-this song. Also maybe my top dont-even-care-what-the-lyrics-are-it's-awesome song.
Change Your Ticket: Makes me think of the Perfect mv every time. Not my fave in terms of lyrics without context, much like Perfect lol. With context though, love both.
Illusion: This deserves to be blasted by someone with a boombox pleading with their lover.
Once in a Lifetime: Definition of melancholic love song. Gorgeous.
Act My Age: Timeless perfect friendship song. Great note to leave on.
Overall: 10/10 great album. Totally deserved more singles and awards.
so i decided to do a "review" if you will of Four by basically giving my honorary mentions for each song. Basically, what my fave part of each song is and who holds the title for each song.
yes this is very bias and unofficial because it is my opinion and i am just a wee child and not a music prodigy or even a journalist or even anyone important
but regardless here we go!
Track 1: Steal My Girl
Honorary Mention: Zayn MALIK!!!!!!!
Time Frame: 2:55 all the way to the end.
Reasoning: Listen i do not care that zayn is in front of a very shoddy green screen in this music video and that he's dancing in front of HIMSELF dancing zayn's riffs are the most important part of this whole damn song i am crying
Track 2: Ready to Run
Honorary Mention: Zayn... oh my god i'm sorry this is not how it will be the whole time
Time Frame: 2:00 and on.......THE BRIDGE KILL ME and then to the end
Reasoning: this time i'm ready to RuuuuUUUUuuuNNNN LISTEN I COULD DIE THAT PART LITERALLY MAKES ME ASCEND INTO HEAVEN OR DESCEND INTO HELL WHICHEVER IS CHOSEN FOR ME
Track 3: Where Do Broken Hearts Go?
Honorary Mention: NIALL HORAN EVERYONE
Time Frame: THE FIRST 35 SECONDS
Reasoning: EXCUSE ME DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST 35 SECONDS OF THIS BEING PERFORMED ON XFACTOR AKA WHERE NIALL HORAN SANG BY HIMSELF FOR 35 SECONDS WHEN I DONT THINK IN THE ENTIRE SEASON OF X FACTOR HE HAD MORE THAN A MINUTE OF SOLOS? DO YOU HEAR ME SCREAMING?!?!?! BECAUSE I AM SCREAMING I AM SO PROUD HE WAS A ROCK GOD AND WILL ALWAYS BE ONE also honorary mention in this honorary mention is zourry for their last thing at 3:11-3:22
Track 4: 18
Honorary Mention: Louis Tomlinson
Time Frame: HIS ENTIRE SOLO 3:17-3:28
Reasoning: listEN to me i do not need to know nOR DID I EVER NEED TO KNOW how soft louis' voice is and how delicate he sings his solo like i NEVER NEEDED TO KNOW HOW MUCH LOVE HE HAS NEVER IN MY ENTIRE LIFE DID I NEED TO KNOW IT never never never i am scarred from louis' solo in this song also big props to zayn singing hands pressed to your cheeks
Track 5: Girl Almighty
Honorary Mention: Ziam/Ziall
Time Frame: 2:44- 2:59 for the Ziam then 3:00 to the end for Ziall.
Reasoning: listen to me, liam almost got the honorary mention for this song because he is just a fucking GOD but like the way that zayn and liam sound together is like fuckin melting chocolate and then there's something so WONDERFUL about niall's little rasp with zayn's silkiness that was already set by him and liam being MELTED CHOCOLATE TOGETHER ITS LIKE THE TIMING OF THIS WAS TRULY MAGICAL AND WONDERFUL DOES THIS EVEN MAKE SENSE
Track 6: Fool's Gold
Honorary Mention: HARRY STYLES
Time Frame: Literally every chorus
Reasoning: okay so i have never gone over my headcanon on why this song exists but THE EMOTION THAT HARRY POURS INTO THIS SONG IS THE REASON HE WINS BECAUSE HONESTLY IM CRYIN okay so if you listen to this song just imagine that louis and harry were super close and harry was in love and then what happened through the media LEGIT happened louis got a gf they stopped talking rumors ruined relationship blah blah but harry was still in love with louis.... THIS WOULD BE THE SONG HE WOULD SING. but instead harry and louis really are in love and this is just a fictional song of what could have been aka its larry AU fanfiction....anyways....HARRY SINGS WITH SO MUCH EMOTION IM DONE GOODBYE
Track 7: Night Changes
Honorary Mention: you know who it is.............LIAM PAYNE
Time Frame: when he does the thing live at like 2:27 in the song the ooooOOOOooooh
Reasoning: is there a need to explain this really? like honestly liam payne is fucking amazing like this is the most beautiful series of notes for him to do ever and it is beautiful and wonderful and amazing and actually why i watch live performances of this song like the ONLY reason liam james payne the one kidney but not really wonder like honestly he is amazing (do you know liam is amazing?)
Track 8: No Control
Honorary Mention: Do you really think this is anyone but louis tomlinson?
Time Frame: every chorus?? he wrote the song???? about sex??????
Reasoning: louis tomlinson wrote this song about waking up hard and wanting to get off immediately with the person he woke up with who he also had sex with the night before........he sings this with the attitude and grace of that sentiment and is literally why no one else could ever get the title of this song this is HIS SONG and i can't wait for him to sing it and hip THRUST and HELL FUCKING YEAH
Track 9: Fireproof
Honorary Mention: Zarriam but also larry (this is a clusterfuck)
Time Frame: 0:44-1:10 for Liam, 2:26-2:35 for Zarry
Reasoning: OKAY SO ONLY LARRY FOR THEIR LYRICS IN THEIR SOLOS BECAUSE THEY'RE COMPLEMENTARY AND ITS WONDERFUL but after that liam leading the first chorus is the most majestic thing that i have ever heard in my life but then zayn starting the "its been so long it's been so long" and harry completing "we must be fireproof" is a fantastic series of events and i really couldn't choose i love this song it is one of my favorites i'm sorry niall i love you (i literally mentioned every member but him)
Track 10: Spaces
Honorary Mention: niall horan but also ot5
Time Frame: niall's first lines and then 1:13-1:16 and then 3:48-end and then er....whenever they all sing all together which is every chorus
Reasoning: i am a big believer in niall starting songs because hell yeah i love it, and then he closes the song too??? so very important you are niall but then like they all sound so good together?????????? like this really shows how wonderful they can be together?????? like they sounds glorious can you imagine their echos live?????? also this is probably my least favorite on the album so i'm sorry for the lack of enthusiasm but just wait
Track 11: Stockholm Syndrome
Honorary Mention: ZARRY
Time Frame: 0:00-1:06 *sweats*
Reasoning: JESUS FUCKING CHRIST GET ME A BUCKET OF WATER THIS IS THE SEXIEST START OF A SONG I HAVE EVER HEARD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE LIKE I NEED TO PAUSE AND CHILL AFTER THE FIRST MINUTE EVERY FUCKING TIME LIKE OH MY GOD LIKE I LOVE ZAYN SO MUCH AND HE IS SO FUCKING SEXY BUT THEN HARRY MIXED INTO IT I DONT KNOW IF I'VE READ TOO MUCH FIC OR WHAT LIKE HARRY SINGING LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME AND YOU'VE GOT ME TIED DOWN IM IMAGINING ALL THE FICS IVE READ BUT LIKE JESUS CHRIST I NEED TO CHILL AFTER THE BEGINNING OF THIS SONG HONESTLY ZAYNS VOICE SHOULDN'T TURN ME ON I AM ASHAMED
Track 12: Clouds
Honorary Mention: Lilo
Time Frame: 2:43-2:45 for Liam and then 3:05 to the end for Louis
Reasoning: the little oohoOOHooh that liam does is honestly too much for me to handle and it's less than two seconds long but the fact that Louis is singing so high LIKE PRAISE LOUIS HIM AND NIALL HAVE GROWN SO MUCH THIS CD IS PROOF
.....so theres that..........honestly no one should allow me near one direction at any point in time i love htem so much i have no chill and never will bye
Listening to FOUR is like mainlining pop music. There is a kind of purity in how directly, potently, and apologetically it angles for your brain’s pleasure center
One Direction & Nick Jonas Are Changing the Rules About How Boy Bands Grow Up (x)
What is most notable about the release, is that there are only two songs that weren’t written with the help of a member of the band-- ‘18’ and ‘Girl Almighty’-- which is probably why every song seems to fit together so well. Even the lyricism has taken a step upwards, proving that not only has the quintet grown in their vocal talent but also in their songwriting skills. Add that to the fact that each and every member is showcased throughout the release, a major turnaround from their first release, and you have an amazingly put together piece of pop that will not only please old fans, but bring aboard a slew of new ones.
We aren’t saying you have to love boy bands now, or even that you have to love anything else this boy band has put out, but we are saying you are missing out if you write off this release based on personal biases against genres and band types. FOUR is not just another release from One Direction, but it may very well be their magnum opus. Listening to it is listening to a band discovering themselves, and there is nothing like the feeling of hearing a band finally find their sound.
Ready To Run - is this a love song for criminals or
Where Do Broken Hearts Go? - Diana 2.0 fucK YEAH
18 - The Ed Sheeranest song to ever Ed Sheeran
Girl Almighty - Paul Simon vs. Peter Gabriel DEATH MATCH (refereed by Joan Jett)
Fool’s Gold - what is this 80s full-harmony easy-listening ballad shit and why do i like it
Night Changes - here take my heart it’s only got a little gash and i didn’t need it anyway
No Control - LOUIS HAS A CHORUS MY CRITICISMS ARE INVALID
Fireproof - “everybody calm the fuck down now”
Spaces - so this is basically an anime outro song
Stockholm Syndrome - kidnapping is totally appropriate to use as a metaphor for love right
Clouds - for all that people have been comparing 1D to the Beatles this is the first song where you can hear a similarity
Change Your Ticket - oh hey there 90s boyband :D
Illusion - if they perform this live without the a capella opening i’m gonNA
Once In A Lifetime - this is where i wish the writing credits told us who in particular was responsible for the harmonic progressions and arrangements because i kind of want to buy whoever it was a beer
