Summary

• Music performances in non-musical movies can have a powerful impact on the audience's emotions.
• Original compositions and fresh takes on pre-existing songs can both enhance a film's storytelling.
• These music performances serve as pivotal moments in their films, showcasing character development and bringing the story to life.

There have been some iconic music performances in movies through the years, and not all of them are part of the musical genre. Music is a powerful storytelling device, but it doesn't have to be used in the form of a score to have an impact on the perception of a character or situation. An in-story performance of a piece of music can warm the heart, instill laughter, or even bring a tear to the eye.

Some of the best music performances in non-musical movies involve an original composition that's been written, or even improvised, by one of the story's characters. However, a fresh take on a pre-existing song can also weave comfortably into the fabric of a film. The naturalness of such a moment can come from an actor's level of musical ability, though for certain actors who are also musicians, the skill sets required are not always a perfect crossover.

10 "Lovin' You" In The Nutty Professor (1996)

Buddy Love's Brief Serenade With A Little Help

Buddy, one of Eddie Murphy's many characters in The Nutty Professor, is about as abrasive as they come. That doesn't mean he lacks a hidden soft side. When taking Carla Purdy (Jada Pinkett Smith) out to a comedy club, Buddy takes to the stage and gives an offensive comic (Dave Chapelle) a taste of his own medicine. Although Buddy pushes his actions to the limit, as is his style, he still finds time to deliver a short rendition of Minnie Riperton's, "Lovin' You," in an attempt to solidify the wooing of his date.

Considering the heated exchange between Buddy and Reggie that preceded it, the serenade comes as a surprisingly touching moment in a scene that is put in place mainly for comedic effect. The emotion quickly evaporates when Buddy twists Reggie's hand behind his back, triggering an unwilling duet from the felled stand-up comedian and bringing the scene back into the realm of comedy.

9 "Bass Battle" In Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010)

Scott Pilgrim Vs. Todd The Vegan

During a fight with Todd the Vegan (Brandon Routh), Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) emerges from the rubble to the sound of a pulsing bassline. The sound is a challenge to Todd, his opponent and fellow bassist. This scene displays the two characters' drastically different playing styles, with Scott focusing on simple phrasing, and Todd making full use of his vegan superpowers to play as fast as his fingers will allow.

The musical face-off manifests itself visually on the screen, with the battle whipping up a storm around them and making it a much more visceral affair rather than just a display of musicianship. Scott ultimately loses the bass battle to Todd, a shock wave blasting him through the wall behind him. However, he wins the war by tricking Todd into breaking his veganism with a coffee ploy.

Michael Cera is a bass player in real life.

8 "Ordinary World" In Ordinary World (2016)

Billie Joe Armstrong Debuts A Green Day Song

Ordinary World features the first leading role of Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong. Understandably, there are a few musical moments in the movie, but the most prominent is also the most intimate. While hiding from his wild birthday party, Perry Miller (Armstrong) holes up in the bedroom of his rented hotel suite, reminiscing with an old flame about his past failures as a musician.

Perry plays a song called "Ordinary World" to his former lover Christy (Judy Greer), who claimed she had always been a fan of his music. Unfortunately, he never gets to finish the performance, as Christy's phone interrupts him. The acoustic ballad compounds the melancholy of the scene, and it was also a sneak peek into the future of Armstrong's band, as the track appeared on their next album a few months after the movie's release.

7 "Teacher's Pet" School Of Rock (2003)

Dewey & The Kids Perform At The Battle Of The Bands

Jack Black is in his element as Dewey Finn in School of Rock, and no scene captures his energy more than the climactic moment of the movie. Dewey unveils "Teacher's Pet," the song written by one of his star pupils, with the rest of the class that helped him find himself again as both a person and a musician. The parents' overwhelmingly positive reactions are a huge emotional payoff in the scene, as many have been opposed to their children learning rock music, and Dewey's teachings are finally vindicated.

6 "Beautiful Ride" In Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)

An Emotional Closing Number For A Goofy Biopic Spoof

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is primarily a parody of other musicians' biopics, but various scenes feature memorable original compositions in their own right. Despite the movie being billed as a comedy, the title character (John C. Reilly) goes through similar struggles as the famous figures the film is referencing. As a result, the lyrical content and mood of the songs reflect Dewey's emotional journey. Following a fallow period in his career, Dewey reunites with his old band for one more song, which celebrates his entire career. "Beautiful Ride" serves as a summary of the movie and the fictional musician's journey.

5 "Hey Goldmember" In Austin Powers In Goldmember (2022)

Beyoncé Makes Her Entrance

Mike Myers plays four characters in Austin Powers in Goldmember, with two of them appearing during the roller disco scene, yet the focus of this moment is drawn to the reveal of Beyoncé as Foxxy Cleopatra. She enters by singing what is essentially Goldmember's theme song. As is the case with every character played by Mike Myers in the Austin Powers movies, Goldmember is very flamboyant and enters the sequel with a choreographed roller-skate routine.

The song, "Hey Goldmember," is a parody of KC and the Sunshine Band's, "That's the Way I Like It," with the lyrics adjusted to exclusively reference to the Studio 69 club's owner. Although the jokes in the song are essentially the same gag being reworded over and over, this is part of what makes the scene so comedic, and Beyoncé's iconic voice brings it all together.

4 "Cuban Pete" In The Mask (1994)

A Very Vibrant Rumba Number To Divert The Police

On the run from the police, Jim Carrey's titular character finds himself having to resort to drastic musical measures to escape. As he starts to perform "Cuban Pete," the surrounding officers find themselves sucked into the performance. The Mask's aura makes his pursuers engage in unwilling duets and complex dance routines, with Carrey's charisma and vocal performance serving as the glue that holds together the wonderfully bizarre sequence.

3 "Dracula's Lament" In Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

The Birth Of A Dracula Musical

It's always interesting when a movie character composes their own song, and a perfect example of this is the piece written by Peter Bretter (Jason Segal) in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. When Rachel (Mila Kunis) gets Peter a spot during the resort band's set, he's forced into revealing a song from the Dracula musical he's been working on. His sheer discomfort is visible as he earnestly delivers a vampire love ballad in a Transylvanian accent to a crowded bar, juxtaposing the comedy of the song against the budding romance between Rachel and Peter. The mix of emotions on display is what makes the moment so memorable.

2 "Aqualung" In Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy (2004)

A Fiery Jazz Flute Number To Impress Veronica

A musical moment in a movie doesn't need lyrics or a popular instrument for it to be effective. The talent of Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) is thrust into action during a visit to a bar with Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate). Although the movie's title character feigns being unprepared for the request for him to perform, he engages in a jazz flute solo that takes him all over the venue. The sequence is one of the most memorable and comedic moments in the film, and the slapstick nature of the performance contributes to its immortality.

1 "Por Ti Volare" In Step Brothers (2008)

Operatic Crooning At The F***ing Catalina Wine Mixer

Near the end of Step Brothers, when Dale (John C. Rielly) takes to the stage in an attempt to replace the hired Billy Joel cover band at the Catalina Wine Mixer, the event seems beyond salvageable. Dale's uneven drumming draws criticism, leading his estranged stepbrother, Brennan (Will Ferrell), to step in for an impromptu collaboration, despite the two main characters having had a falling out earlier in the movie.

The song Will Ferrell sings in Step Brothers is Andrea Botcelli's, "Por Ti Volare," and it's backed up by John C. Reilly on the drum kit. Brennan's operatic delivery brings about an unexpected gravitas to the scene. Given the main characters' other musical performances in the movie, the suitability of their material is a welcome surprise. Even though Dale's backing vocals inject some comedy into the situation, the display instills sudden feelings in its onlookers and lets the two title characters become best friends once again.