Coup de Chance Soundtrack: Woody Allen’s French-language thriller Coup de Chance premiered to warm reviews at the 2023 Venice Film Festival before opening in French and US theaters in 2024.
A new movie from Woody Allen called Coup de Chance premiered in Venice and was released worldwide. Several critics have noted that the film revisits themes from Allen’s earlier dramas about murder committed by outwardly civilized, upper-middle-class characters — particularly Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) and Match Point (2005), which the review site In Review Online called the film it “most closely resembles.”
The film is a thriller written and directed by Woody Allen. The film stars Lou de Laâge, Valérie Lemercier, Melvil Poupaud and Niels Schneider.
Official Synopsis by the IMDb: Two young people’s bond leads to marital infidelity and ultimately crime
Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller
Release date: April 5, 2024 (United States)
Who Composed Coup de Chance Soundtrack?
Herbie Hancock: Herbert Jeffrey Hancock is a famous American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career along with trumpeter Donald Byrd’s group.
He is famous for “Cantaloupe Island,” “Watermelon Man,” “Maiden Voyage,” and “Chameleon,” all of which are jazz standards.
Rather than commissioning an original score, Allen built Coup de Chance’s soundtrack around a handful of pre-existing jazz recordings from the 1950s and ’60s — a technique he has used throughout his career. Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island” recurs at three points in the film and functions as its unofficial theme.
Coup de Chance Soundtrack List
Reviewing the film, Variety’s Owen Gleiberman noted that “The film has a jaunty tone of deadpan glee, bolstered by a soundtrack of ’60s jazz nuggets, particularly Herbie Hancock’s ‘Cantaloupe Island.’” A discography compiled from the film’s official IMDb soundtrack listing identifies six jazz recordings used throughout Coup de Chance:
- When Your Lover Has Gone — composed by Einar Swan; performed by Art Farmer, from the 1956 album 2 Trumpets.
- Cantaloupe Island — composed by Herbie Hancock; the version heard in the film is Nat Adderley’s 1966 recording from Sayin’ Somethin’, which features Hancock himself on piano.
- Bags’ Groove — composed by Milt Jackson; performed by the Modern Jazz Quartet (1957).
- Fortune’s Child — composed and performed by Nat Adderley, from A Little New York Midtown Music (1978).
- Arm in Arm — composed by Meredith Willson; performed by Hank Jones (1963).
- In the Bag — composed by Nat Adderley; performed by Nat Adderley featuring Cannonball Adderley, from the 1962 album of the same name.
No standalone Coup de Chance soundtrack album has been commercially released. The music consists entirely of pre-existing jazz recordings licensed for the film rather than a newly commissioned score.
Official Trailer
If you are curious to know more about this film and interested in watching it, you can check out the trailer below, where you can get a glimpse of the story.
Even though Coup de Chance is set in Paris and shot entirely in French, its plot — infidelity, deception, and a wealthy husband who takes matters into his own hands — feels every bit as at home in Allen’s more familiar New York milieu.
For many years, director Allen’s career struggled to find US distribution, as renewed attention to decades-old allegations against him led several studios to distance themselves from his films after 2017.
Amazon Studios shelved his film “A Rainy Day in New York” (shot in 2017) rather than release it as planned; it eventually reached US theaters in October 2020. His next film, “Rifkin’s Festival” (2020), got a limited US release in January 2022. Both films — like Coup de Chance — were ultimately distributed in the US by MPI Media Group.
If you love music and want to know more, you are at the right place. You can listen to and explore other soundtracks from various platforms, including Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Spotify.
(Source of Coup de Chance Soundtrack: Variety, Wikipedia)
Quick Facts
| Title | Coup de Chance (English title: Stroke of Luck) |
| Genre | Comedy, Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller |
| Premiere / Release Date | September 1, 2023 (Venice Film Festival); April 5, 2024 (US theaters) |
| Director | Woody Allen |
| Music | No original score — curated 1950s–60s jazz recordings, centered on Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island” |
| Studio / Distributor | MPI Media Group |
| Where to Stream | Available to rent or buy digitally (Apple TV, Amazon, and other platforms) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed the Coup de Chance soundtrack?
No composer wrote an original score for Coup de Chance. Woody Allen assembled the film’s music from a selection of classic jazz recordings, most notably several tracks connected to pianist Herbie Hancock.
What is the main song in Coup de Chance?
Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island” plays at three points in the film and functions as its unofficial theme.
Is Coup de Chance based on a true story?
No. It is an original screenplay by Woody Allen exploring themes of infidelity, chance, and murder that recur throughout his filmography.
Does Coup de Chance have an official soundtrack album?
No standalone soundtrack album has been released. The music consists of pre-existing jazz recordings licensed for the film rather than a commissioned score.
Is Coup de Chance part of a trilogy?
Some critics have compared it to Allen’s earlier dramas about murder committed by seemingly civilized people, such as Crimes and Misdemeanors and Match Point, though it is not officially billed as part of a trilogy.
Where can I watch Coup de Chance?
In the US, Coup de Chance was released theatrically and digitally by MPI Media Group. Check Apple TV, Amazon, and other digital rental platforms for current availability.
Related reading: Browse more titles on our Movie Soundtrack hub, catch up on new releases via our Streaming hub, or see what’s new on Prime Video.