Dumped by her long-term boyfriend, Jenny Young (played by Gina Rodriguez), a music journalist goes on one last journey with her two friends by her side before she moves to San Francisco in a week to move up in her career. Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Someone Great premiered in 2019 and tells the story of friendship and personal growth with a stellar playlist behind it to mimic the emotions and thoughts of the characters throughout the film. Below are some of the most pivotal scenes and the songs to match.
Gina Rodriguez
Brittany Snow
DeWanda Wise
Peter Vack
RuPaul
LaKeith Stanfield
Alex Moffat
Rebecca Naomi Jones
Jaboukie Young-White
Michelle Buteau
Rosario Dawson
Ben Sidell
“Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You)” - UGK featuring Outkast
The hip-hop tune introduces us to the film as Jenny and Nate(played by LaKeith Stanfield) leave Neon Classic, the underground music show they attend. Giving some background to their love story, the song sets up an enjoyable moment between the two as we begin to learn from the introduction that the two have broken up after nine years together.
“Supercut” - Lorde
A fitting song for the cut-up scenes showcasing Jenny and Nate’s relationship through the good and bad times. It's almost as if viewers are watching a visual scrapbook. By now, viewers know that Jenny and Nate have broken up, and Jenny is going through tough emotions. “Supercut” tells the story of being confused about the failure of a romantic relationship. The alternative hit tells exactly what Jenny feels in her most vulnerable moments as she figures out her next steps.
“Motion Sickness” - Phoebe Bridgers
Only in the movie, for a brief moment, do the notable first notes of the song drift through the air as Erin and Leah are in bed together. Trying to push their relationship forward, Leah asks Erin to meet her friends. Erin (played by DeWanda Wise) doesn’t say anything back, reflecting that Erin isn’t one for a serious relationship. Later in the film, it’s revealed that Erin has past relationship problems that still haunt her. “Motion Sickness” encapsulates Erin's feelings running through her mind as she navigates what she wants in the brief moment and what she once felt in her past. The song's first line says, “I hate you for what you did,” which mirrors Erin’s feelings about her past relationship.
“Truth Hurts” - Lizzo
Jenny is now trying to push past her feelings and mask them with happiness. The uplifting break-up song plays in the background as Erin comes in to help cheer Jenny up. Together, the two sing along and have a bonding moment together before they embark on their adventure for the day. The music ends when Jenny falls into a flashback of her and Nate’s first interaction together.
“Mansard Roof” - Vampire Weekend
“Mansard Roof” is playing at the house party, which sets up a completely different vibe from the scene that started—a more chill feeling of hope instead of the uplifting lyrics of a post-breakup moment.
“Scott Street” - Phoebe Bridgers
A slow buildup of the song plays behind the scene where Jenny is polishing up her article to send off to what will be her first freelance writing job. At first, the song is quiet, showing Jenny’s nerves as she hands Nate her article to read. The song becomes louder and more fast-paced as Nate encourages Jenny and her skills. It finally crescendos with the two of them marking the fountain as “their spot” in celebration of where their lives are moving towards next.
“The Jump Off” - Lil Kim
A change of pace for the trio, Erin, Blaire (played by Brittany Snow), and Jenny, comes as they all get ready in a classic outfit change montage. The girls dance around in bliss to the upbeat song as they try on different outfits for Neon Classic. The song comes from their old college-get-ready playlist, so for them, it transports them back to their good old days.
“Dreaming of You” - Selena
Following the previous scene, Jenny is transported back in another quick flashback of her and Nate. The flashbacks allow the viewers to get a glimpse into their relationship and connect with their characters. “Dreaming of You” plays in the bodega as Jenny, Blaire, and Erin collect snacks to purchase. Trying to give Jenny her space, the girls try to leave and buy their things, but Jenny pulls them back, and together, the girls sing the heartfelt song.
“DOPE” and “Great One” - Jessie Reyez
After a long day, the girls finally walk into Neon Classic. The music is spunky and fast-paced as the girls filter through the crowd, dancing and finding their spot for the night. As they dance, Jenny sees Nate in the back near the bar, her first time seeing him since they broke up. She tries to go and speak to him, but Erin doesn’t let her as she feels it’s the wrong move. Conflict arises between the girls as Jenny heads to the bathroom, trying to get away from them. The song fades, and Jenny heads back out into the crowd after finally being alone. Viewers finally see what happened between Nate and Jenny as he broke up with her; back in the present, Jenny mouths to Nate from across the crowd, saying that she loves him. He responds back with “forever,” their old response to each other. The music slows and is full of feeling as Jenny gets her closure. What she’s been searching for this whole time.
“Dynamite” - Sigrid
One of the most heartbreaking scenes, if not the most, is when Jenny writes her poem on the subway. The light piano notes perfectly accentuate Jenny’s emotions as she looks back on the good times she had with Nate. The song has no lyrics throughout this scene, but Jenny’s words, paired with the music, are all the viewers need to hear to understand what Jenny is feeling in this moment.
“Moon River” - Frank Ocean
The last scene of the movie is narrated by “Moon River,” as Jenny dreams of Nate taking back what he said and wanting to make the relationship work. Frank Ocean’s voice creates a dreamlike environment, but when Blaire and Erin wake Jenny, his voice fades away. They reflect on their beautiful friendship and where it will go in the future. Jenny finally chooses herself, and the girls realize it’s time for change.
Check out the full Someone Great soundtrack here.