Here’s a guide to the soundtrack for bittersweet romantic comedy Celeste And Jesse Forever. Rashida Jones is best known as an actress on shows like Parks And Recreation but she’s also a writer, having worked on the likes of Black Mirror episode “Nosedive.” She also co-wrote 2012 rom-com Celeste And Jesse Forever, which inverts the typical formula by having the title characters be a married couple who decide to divorce but remain best friends; of course, they both come to question if they made the right call as the story progresses.
Celeste And Jesse Forever stars Jones and Andy Samberg as the soon to be divorced couple, with the cast also featuring Emma Roberts, Elijah Wood and Chris Pine. While the movie is funny and sweet, it stings a little more than the standard rom-com because it’s more true to life, and ends on a fittingly bittersweet note. The movie also gave Samberg, who was best known for The Lonely Island sketches or Hot Rod at this point, a chance to show off a more dramatic side.
Celeste And Jesse Forever received solid reviews for its cast, screenplay and its use of music. Here’s a guide to every song featured on the film’s official soundtrack album.
- Littlest Things – Lily Allen
- A Little Bit Of Love – Brenda Russell
- Can’t You Tell – Vetiver
- Rescue Song (RAC Remix) – Mr. Little Jeans
- Recollections Of The Wraith – Shabazz Palaces
- Mi Jeva – Boogaloo Assassins
- Faces Now (Caress Mix) – Keepaway
- Love Will Find A Way – William Bell
- Open Your Eyes – Bobby Caldwell
- No Other Plans – Sunny Levine / Young Dad
- (You) Got What I Need – Freddie Scott
- As For Tonight – Sunny Levine Ft. Orelia
Celeste And Jesse Forever opens with an emotional photo montage of the title duo’s relationship set to Lily Allen’s “Littlest Things,” from first love to marriage and eventually the cracks starting to appear in their romance. The movie’s soundtrack is made up of an eclectic blend of tracks, ranging from pop to R&B classics, including William Bell’s heartfelt track “Love Will Find A Way.”
Celeste And Jesse Forever so impressed Pixar that Rashida Jones and co-writer Will McCormack were later hired to write Toy Story 4. They later pulled out of the movie, with Jones stating she didn’t feel the company allowed for an equal creative voice for women or people of color. The co-writers ultimately received a story credit on the 2019 sequel. Rashida Jones later co-directed the 2018 documentary Quincy about her legendary father, record producer Quincy Jones, which was released on Netflix and won acclaim.