In the 2022 Oscars, “CODA” was announced as the surprise winner of the Best Picture award for its emotional and crowd-pleasing tale of a deaf family and the daughter who wants to be a singer.
It’s a beautiful film, and it’s hard to escape the obvious truth that Hollywood — and most of America — loves movies with great music at the center of the story.
In the Golden Age of Hollywood, musicals were perceived as the height of filmmaking, with “The Sound of Music,” “Singing in the Rain” and “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” as uber-popular examples of the genre’s dominance of both the box office and critical acclaim.
The same holds true for Disney’s dominance of the animated film genre, which relied upon original songs for decades until Pixar came along and changed the game.
Thankfully, for those of us who don’t love musicals, Hollywood has evolved to include many other films with music at the center of the story and storytelling, but without the kitsch that defines most musicals.
If you enjoyed “CODA,” here are a few other music-centered films worth checking out (that aren’t technically musicals).
Whiplash
Damien Chazelle is now probably best known for “La La Land,” which celebrated the Golden Age of Hollywood musicals with this fresh take on the genre — and which almost won Best Picture until the announcement turned out to be a mistake.
But Chazelle has always been interested in music in his filmmaking, especially jazz, and “Whiplash” is the director’s most direct homage to this genre of music. First, it’s important to note that this film isn’t a great reflection of the reality of jazz music’s history or how jazz musicians become virtuosos.
It’s a story about an abusive jazz professor whose desire to test the skills of his best student veers quickly into violence and self-destruction. It’s sometimes an uncomfortable film to watch, but the scenes of jazz performance are truly riveting. The film is worth watching just for the final scene, which is likely the best cinematography of a big band ever seen on film.
Baby Driver
Edgar Wright made one of the best stunt-based films in recent memory with the unforgettable “Baby Driver,” about a young getaway driver with partial hearing loss. There are no musicians in the 2017 film, but the main character, played by Ansel Elgort, uses his love of music as both a coping mechanism and the soundtrack to his getaways from bank heists.
While the musical choices feel both appropriate and exciting, it’s the way the director combines music and practical effects that makes “Baby Driver” feel unique and incredibly watchable.
The story and characters can feel a bit silly and two-dimensional at times, but the action set pieces and pulsing hits will have you riveted until the credits finally roll.
The Commitments
“The Commitments” became a cult hit when it was released in 1991. Based on a novel of the same name by Roddy Doyle, the story follows a young unemployed boy in Dublin who decides to form a soul band.
When he finally puts the band together — after a lot of hilarious moments finding and convincing musicians to join — the musical performances are some of the best ever put on screen. Several of the actors, including the singer, are real musicians performing on camera. Combine that with a story that makes the dreams and troubles of these people feel all too real, and you have an absolute classic of music-based filmmaking.
Considering the many options available for wonderfully made movies that rely on music, it’s more than possible to expand your music palette in film — without ever watching a musical.