"Dilemma, The" Soundtrack Lyrics

"The Dilemma (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" Soundtrack Description

Overview

What happens when a midlife friendship crisis meets an arena anthem? This Chicago-set dramedy leans on a mixtape of rock stompers and indie churn to underline Ronny’s lies, Nick’s stress, and a very public hockey showdown. The compilation album packs name-brand riffs (“Detroit Rock City,” “Chelsea Dagger”) beside 2010s blog-rock staples (The Black Keys, Band of Skulls), while the score by Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe keeps the emotional threads taut between punchlines.

It’s a deliberate split: needle-drops carry swagger and crowd energy; score cues do the private work—shame, suspicion, reconciliation. The music supervisor is Alexandra Patsavas, whose brief here is clear: cut through Vaughn–James banter with hooks you recognize in two seconds. Trusted source: Variety.

Questions & Answers

Is there an official soundtrack album?

Yes. The Dilemma (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) was released January 2011 as a various-artists compilation (Atlantic/WEA).

Who composed the score?

Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe composed the original score for the film.

What’s the song at the Chicago Blackhawks game?

“Chelsea Dagger” by The Fratellis — the Blackhawks’ goal song — blasts during the United Center scene where Ronny confronts Geneva.

Which Black Keys tracks are in the movie?

“Howlin’ for You” (garage scene after the hockey game) and “She’s Long Gone” (Ronny’s surveillance sequence).

What plays over the end credits?

“Just Saying” by The Hold Steady runs in the latter portion of the end credits.

Is the Ray Charles cut actually in the film or just on the album?

Ray Charles’ “Sticks and Stones” is heard in the early bar sequence while the couples dance.

Notes & Trivia

• “Chelsea Dagger” is the Chicago Blackhawks’ official goal song; its use in the United Center scene is diegetic fanfare.
• The retail album groups 12 songs; additional cues appear in the film only.
• Zimmer/Balfe’s score is unreleased as a standalone album; cues circulate via film rips and promo references.
• Two Black Keys cuts anchor different phases of Ronny’s snooping, giving the rock backbone continuity.
• Alexandra Patsavas (noted for Twilight, Gossip Girl) supervised music selection and clearances. Trusted source: Variety.

Genres & Themes

Arena rock & crowd chants → public bravado and humiliation; “Chelsea Dagger” weaponizes hometown spectacle against Ronny’s secret.

Garage blues & alt-rock → masculine panic and forward momentum; The Black Keys cue the grind of surveillance and damage control.

Classic rock heroics → performative confidence; KISS’s “Detroit Rock City” sells the “big meeting” prep montage.

Score (modern drama) → low pulses and restrained harmony for guilt, confession, and a last-act reset.

Tracks & Scenes

"Baby Don’t You Do It" — The Band
Where it plays: Restaurant opener (00:01). Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Sets a vintage-soul template before modern rock takes over.

"Sassy Little Woman" — Michael Mulholland
Where it plays: Early bar celebration after landing the meeting (≈00:06). Non-diegetic/source-adjacent.
Why it matters: A breezy groove to establish couples’ chemistry before cracks appear.

"Sticks and Stones" — Ray Charles
Where it plays: Same bar sequence as dancing kicks in (≈00:06). Source in the venue.
Why it matters: Old-school R&B warmth, a counterweight to the film’s looming deceit.

"Cosmic Egg" — Wolfmother
Where it plays: Ping-pong scene (≈00:10). Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Fuzzed swagger for competitive banter.

"Detroit Rock City" — KISS
Where it plays: Morning prep for the big pitch (≈00:12). Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Classic-rock bravado to mask nerves.

"Ready, Aim, Fire" — The Unknown
Where it plays: Ronny driving, psyching himself up (≈00:21). Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: On-the-nose title mirrors his rash plan.

"Chelsea Dagger" — The Fratellis
Where it plays: Chicago Blackhawks game confrontation (≈00:41). Diegetic arena playback.
Why it matters: The city’s goal chant drowns nuance; public spectacle collides with private crisis.

"Howlin’ for You" — The Black Keys
Where it plays: Back at the garage after the game (≈00:42). Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Sleazy stomp underlines Ronny’s fixation spiraling.

"She’s Long Gone" — The Black Keys
Where it plays: Ronny tails Geneva and snaps photos (≈00:59). Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Blues churn = paranoia made audible.

"One Week of Danger" — The Virgins
Where it plays: In-room source while Geneva and Zip hook up; Ronny climbs the tree to shoot (≈01:01). Diegetic.
Why it matters: Ironic party-sleaze needle-drop fueling farce and dread.

"Bomb" — Band of Skulls
Where it plays: Ronny waits on Zip’s balcony, kids milling below (≈01:03). Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Tense, minimal riff keeps the stakeout coiled.

"Neon Invasion" — Neon Plastix
Where it plays: Ronny and Zip brawl in the apartment (≈01:04). Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Glossy indie-dance chaos for an undignified fight.

"Everything Trying" — Damien Jurado
Where it plays: Quiet apartment heart-to-heart on the floor (intimate mid-late scene). Non-diegetic, low mix.
Why it matters: A gentle folk balm that briefly cuts through the defensiveness.

"Just Saying" — The Hold Steady
Where it plays: Second phase of end credits (≈01:48). Non-diegetic.
Why it matters: Wry, bar-band lift to send the audience out.

Music–Story Links

Public vs. private: that’s the axis. Arena-scale cues (“Chelsea Dagger,” KISS) crown the moments when Ronny performs confidence, while the blues grind of The Black Keys sits under isolation and snooping. When Damien Jurado slips in, the film finally lets two people speak plainly—music drops volume so truth can surface. Trusted source: WhatSong scene log.

How It Was Made

Score & supervision. Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe deliver a restrained dramatic score recorded to sit beneath dialogue and guitar-heavy songs. Alexandra Patsavas handled music supervision, threading stadium anthems, indie blues, and blog-era rock into Chicago locales and sports culture. Trusted sources: Variety; Apple Music album metadata.

Reception & Quotes

Reviews were mixed on the film, but several singled out the punchy, crowd-friendly soundtrack choices as effective counterweights to heavier scenes. The compilation album remains the practical way to hear most placements.

“Music: Hans Zimmer, Lorne Balfe; music supervisor, Alexandra Patsavas.” Variety

“A likeable cast can’t solve the film’s tonal tug-of-war.” Rotten Tomatoes consensus (summary)

Availability: retail compilation on digital/CD; no commercial score album.

Additional Info

• Label credit: the album is presented as a Various Artists compilation under Atlantic/WEA distribution.
• “Chelsea Dagger” doubles as the Blackhawks’ real-world goal song, amplifying authenticity in the United Center scene.
• “Detroit Rock City” and other classics are album versions; film uses standard single edits.
• Some songs heard in-film are not on the retail album; conversely, a few album tracks play only briefly in the mix.
• IMDB’s public soundtrack page lists additional clearances beyond the retail album’s 12 cuts.

Technical Info

• Title: The Dilemma
• Year: 2011 (U.S. release January 14, 2011)
• Type: Feature film — comedy-drama
• Score: Hans Zimmer; Lorne Balfe
• Music Supervision: Alexandra Patsavas
• Notable placements: “Chelsea Dagger” (The Fratellis); “Howlin’ for You” & “She’s Long Gone” (The Black Keys); “Detroit Rock City” (KISS); “One Week of Danger” (The Virgins); “Sticks and Stones” (Ray Charles); “Just Saying” (The Hold Steady)
• Album/Label: The Dilemma (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) — Various Artists, Atlantic/WEA (2011)

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: Variety; Apple Music; WhatSong; IMDb Soundtracks; Reelsoundtrack.

November, 07th 2025