"That Awkward Moment" Soundtrack Lyrics

"That Awkward Moment (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

What does a bromance sound like when the mask slips? That Awkward Moment answers with a two-part palette: an indie/electro-leaning needle-drop set for Brooklyn bars and late-night taxis, and David Torn’s shapeshifting score — textural guitar, loops, and small ensemble cues that slide between comedy beats and sincere reckonings.

The film follows three friends (Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan) who swear off relationships right as relationships find them. Musically, the songs carry vibe and place (neon bars, walk-and-talks, house parties); the score handles subtext — guilt, hesitation, apology. The compilation album blends both: curated cuts (Crozet, Night Drive, JJAMZ, Strange Talk, Lavender Diamond, Leagues, Devendra Banhart) threaded with Torn’s cue titles that mirror plot beats.

Genres & phases — Indie pop & synthwave for flirt and motion; electro-noir for night drives and bad decisions; folk & dream-pop for tenderness; Torn’s hybrid score to bridge jokes to consequence.

How It Was Made

Director Tom Gormican tapped guitarist/composer David Torn for the score — a nimble, textural approach that could pivot from punchlines to vulnerability without syrup. Varese Sarabande issued the official album in early 2014, collecting 14 tracks (a mix of source songs and score cues). Music supervision on the production is credited in trades to Laura Katz, with music clearance support listed in studio credits; the film itself features a lean, modern indie slate rather than wall-to-wall radio hits.

Release logistics: the film opened January 31, 2014 in the U.S.; the soundtrack album streeted around late January with a physical CD following in February under Varese’s catalog program.

Tracks & Scenes

Timestamps reference the ~94-minute U.S. cut. “Diegetic” = heard by characters (e.g., bar/party); otherwise non-diegetic. Trailer-only cues are noted separately.

“Closed Shades” (Crozet)

Where it plays:

~00:01 — Cold-open montage with Jason on a park bench; mood-setting city night textures before we flash back to how he got here. Non-diegetic.

Why it matters:

Establishes the film’s synth-pop glow and the framing device (the bench, the wait).

“After Dark” (Night Drive)

Where it plays:

~00:07 — Apartment pre-game bits and a cut to the guys heading out; later reprises around ~1:18 during a hookup beat. Mostly source-like, scene-stitching.

Why it matters:

Cool-gait, low-stakes energy that lets quips land between beats.

“Down on Life” (Elliphant)

Where it plays:

~00:10 — Second bar track; bodies and chatter blur as Jason, Daniel, and Mikey scan the room. Diegetic, anchoring the early singles-club vibe.

Why it matters:

Gives the night a humid pulse — swagger masking sadness, i.e., the movie’s thesis in miniature.

“Amoureux” (Vogel)

Where it plays:

~00:12 — Third bar song, a stylish, continental glide under early flirting and wing-person maneuvers. Diegetic.

Why it matters:

Signals Jason/Ellie chemistry without stepping on dialogue.

“Heartbeat” (JJAMZ)

Where it plays:

~00:13 — Quick-cut intimacy at Ellie’s apartment after the meet-cute; song carries the heat into morning. Non-diegetic.

Why it matters:

First surge of earnest feeling before the pact becomes a problem.

“After You’ve Gone” (performed in-story by Mackenzie Davis)

Where it plays:

~00:28 — Chelsea at the piano in a bar, crooning a standard while Daniel tries (and fails) to keep things casual. Fully diegetic performance.

Why it matters:

A classic torch song reframed as a sitcom-truth grenade; their dynamic is not casual.

“I Don’t Recall” (Lavender Diamond)

Where it plays:

~00:30 — First time at Chelsea’s apartment; couch talk that’s more honest than either admits. Non-diegetic support under a quiet two-hander.

Why it matters:

Gentle shimmer to underline the shift from a bit to a bond.

“So Good at Being in Trouble” (Unknown Mortal Orchestra)

Where it plays:

~00:32 — Jason and Alana hook up as Mikey blunders in; sensual haze meets comic intrusion. Non-diegetic needle-drop.

Why it matters:

Perfectly titled: desire without direction — the film’s recurring speed bump.

“Tales and Truths” (The Black Apples)

Where it plays:

~00:32 and ~00:48 — Post-hookup transition; later, the trio’s bar return. Source cue with a garage-pop edge.

Why it matters:

The title winks at the story’s lie-by-omission problem.

“Walking Backwards” (Leagues)

Where it plays:

~00:53 — Jason shows up at Ellie’s birthday in the infamous wrong outfit; the room freezes, the track keeps moving. Diegetic/party.

Why it matters:

Upbeat song vs. mortification — the movie’s awkward engine.

“Won’t You Come Home” (Devendra Banhart)

Where it plays:

~00:57 — After the party, Jason and Ellie try to reset in the cool air outside. Non-diegetic, tender.

Why it matters:

Softens the edges — a hand extended after a self-own.

“Drones” (Night Drive)

Where it plays:

~01:00 — The guys re-group at the bar; edits ride the pulse of clattering conversation and unresolved tension. Diegetic.

Why it matters:

Gives the scene a cool facade as the friendship frays.

“Still Life” (The Horrors)

Where it plays:

~01:12 — Bathroom confrontation → walk of shame through a fancy apartment as guests stare. Non-diegetic.

Why it matters:

Dream-pop glide over social death — it almost hurts less.

“We’ll Be Gone By Then” (Crozet)

Where it plays:

~01:29 — Return to the bench. Jason waits. Ellie sits. Also plays into end credits. Non-diegetic/emotional coda.

Why it matters:

Brings the framing device full circle and lands the movie on earned warmth.

“Still Not a Player” (Big Pun)

Where it plays:

~01:31 — Credits/outtakes montage.

Why it matters:

One last wink at the “we’re totally single” pact.

Trailer-only cuts

Where they appear:

Marketing materials leaned on high-energy hip-hop/indie — e.g., Travis Porter’s “Ayy Ladies,” UMO’s “So Good at Being in Trouble” — to sell the comedy tone; not every cue appears on the retail album.

Why it matters:

Trailers skew brighter/louder than the film’s more intimate, indie-leaning in-story selections.

Notes & Trivia

• The official album clocks ~48–49 minutes across 14 tracks and mixes songs with select Torn cues (e.g., “Thought You Were A…/Hooker?,” “Just One More Chance”).
• Physical CD issued by Varese Sarabande in February 2014 (catalog no. 302 067 2508) after the film’s January U.S. release.
• At least one standard (“After You’ve Gone”) is performed diegetically on camera by Mackenzie Davis as Chelsea.
• Alternate/international title: Are We Officially Dating? — some retailer listings mirror that phrasing.

Reception & Quotes

Reviews for the film were mixed-to-negative; the album itself earned steady catalog interest thanks to its tidy indie/electro curation and Torn’s tasteful, low-key cues.

“48:51 of neon-tinged indie and understated score; tidy, replayable.” — Album database summary

“Torn’s textures help honest moments register without syrup.” — Soundtrack watchers

Interesting Facts

• Bench bookend: The Crozet cuts (“Closed Shades,” “We’ll Be Gone By Then”) literally frame the story’s first and last images.
• Live in the room: A bar-performance standard is a rarity for modern rom-coms; it gives Daniel/Chelsea an old-movie ache.
• One foot in trailers: Some high-octane tracks appear only in marketing, not in the narrative or on the album.
• Score-song weave: Varese’s disc interleaves Torn’s cues with licensed tracks to reflect the film’s rhythm instead of issuing two separate releases.
• Composer’s lane: Torn previously blended guitar/texture for narrative intimacy on projects like Lars and the Real Girl — a useful DNA match here.

Technical Info

• Title: That Awkward Moment (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Year: 2014 (film: Jan 31 U.S. release; album late Jan digital; CD Feb 2014)
• Type: Various-artists & original score compilation
• Composer: David Torn
• Music supervision: Laura Katz (production credit); music clearance support credited on studio listings
• Label: Varese Sarabande — CD catalog 302 067 2508
• Selected notable placements: “Closed Shades,” “After Dark,” “Down on Life,” “Heartbeat,” “I Don’t Recall,” “Still Life,” “We’ll Be Gone By Then,” “Still Not a Player” (credits)
• Runtime (album): ~48:51
• Also known as: Are We Officially Dating? (international title)

Questions & Answers

Is there a separate score album?

No, the commercial release combines licensed songs with David Torn’s cues on one disc/digital set.

What’s the end-credits track after the bench scene?

Crozet’s “We’ll Be Gone By Then” leads into the credits; Big Pun’s “Still Not a Player” accompanies outtakes later.

Who performs the in-movie piano song?

Mackenzie Davis (as Chelsea) sings “After You’ve Gone” diegetically in a bar sequence.

Who supervised the music?

Music supervision was handled on the production by Laura Katz, with clearance/licensing support credited in studio listings.

Where can I stream the album?

Major platforms (Apple Music, Spotify) carry the 14-track release under the full title.

Key Contributors

Sources: Apple Music album listing; Spotify album listing; AllMusic release page; Presto/retail catalog (Varese Sarabande); IMDb Soundtracks & credits; The Numbers/credits (music supervisor); SoundtrackRadar scene-by-scene song placements; official trailers.

November, 27th 2025