Films and TV shows often imitate real life, taking elements of reality and putting a little twist on them so they are more entertaining. Talent shows, for example, are a popular plot in entertainment as it’s always entertaining to watch the drama unfold as the contestants battle it out on the stage to be the best.
While most talent shows in movies tell a touching story about overcoming obstacles and achieving dreams, others show what lies behind the curtain and the ugly truth of some of these contests. Whether it’s a feel-good movie about singing and dancing or a satirical depiction of the performing arts, each one offers a unique take on the genre.
Dirty Dancing (1987)
Dirty Dancing is one of the most popular films of all time where a vacation romance between Baby (Jennifer Grey) and a dance instructor named Johnny (Patrick Swayze) leads to the stage of the end-of-season talent show. Despite all the people and odds against them, the two lovebirds successfully show off the dance moves they practiced all summer, fostering peace through song and dance.
The impressive choreography and wonderfully executed performances by the cast are some of the reasons why the movie is such a hit. Apart from dance moves bound to get anyone on their feet, Dirty Dancing shows how the power of love and song can overcome all kinds of hurdles.
Best In Show (2000)
The mockumentary, Best in Show, satirizes dog shows with a comedic aspect that stays true to the accuracy of the canine talent contest. The interviews with the dog owners throughout the movie are fun and entertaining thanks to quirky characters like Fred Willard and Catherine O’Hara.
Directed by Christopher Guest, the movie is a classic whose humor remains relevant despite all the years that have passed since its production. Even though it doesn’t have the glitz and glam of most movies, it’s still an entertaining, feel-good watch and one of the best mockumentaries ever made.
Miss Congeniality (2000)
After receiving an alert that there could be a potential bomb threat at the Miss United States pageant, the FBI sends one of their best female agents undercover as a contestant. Gracie (Sandra Bullock) is chosen for the job and manages to impress the judges during the talent competition by providing a self-defense demonstration.
Unlike most movies with talent shows that are light-hearted and focus mainly on the contest of skills, Miss Congeniality mixes it up by including something as serious as a bomb threat and the undercover mission to reveal who’s behind it.
The Cheetah Girls (2003)
The Cheetah Girls follows a group of teens from different backgrounds with a passion for singing. Their dream is to be the first freshmen to win their school’s talent show. However, the group starts falling apart when they get a deal with a record label, causing some members to behave differently.
While music is the core of this film, it also branches out to show different aspects of the four teens’ lives. From complex mother-daughter relationships, difficult financial situations, to how the friends support each other through it all, The Cheetah Girls is certainly a movie that will have viewers engaged for a few
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
A drama-filled family road trip, an adorable little girl’s dream to be a beauty queen, and a highly competitive pageant are all part of what makes Little Miss Sunshine a memorable movie. Olive (Abigail Breslin) and her family have their shining moment during the talent portion of the pageant, which ultimately leads to her being kicked out of the show.
Little Miss Sunshine was a box office hit, getting over $100 million thanks to the outstanding performances of the cast and the humor. In addition, it draws attention to the absurd hypocrisy of beauty pageants, especially those involving kids, and highlights the importance of people staying true to who they are.
American Dreamz (2006)
With a cast that includes Hugh Grant, Mandy Moore, and Dennis Quaid, it’s no surprise American Dreamz is a delight to watch. Grant stars as a host for a talent show called American Dreamz and Moore is chosen to be one of the contestants. Quaid’s role as President Joseph Statton has him as a guest judge on the show and on top of that, one of the contestants is a terrorist, targetting the president.
The fictional talent show shares some similarities with American Idol and that’s only one of the things that’s great about the movie. With its satirical nature, it pokes fun at similar shows, throwing in a political storyline that makes it an unforgettable movie.
High School Musical 2 (2007)
Like the first movie, High School Musical 2 is all song and dance with a sweet love story in between. In this sequel, Troy (Zac Efron), Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens), Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale), and the others are all on summer vacation. Everyone else, except for Sharpay and Ryan, is working at the family country club while practicing for the talent show that’s always hosted there.
With there being much drama between the students and competitors, tensions are high as many friendships are on the verge of collapsing. Luckily, the ending has a beautiful performance as part of the talent show and some sweet moments between the main couple.
Pitch Perfect (2012)
Pitch Perfect brought a singing competition with a difference to the film industry. The competing groups engaged in an acapella battle to see which one could pull off a musical performance without instruments better than the others.
There were many things to love about the romantic, musical comedy; from the hilarious antics by Amy (Rebel Wilson) to the blooming romance between Beca (Anna Kendrick) and Jesse (Skylar Astin). The acapella renditions on Pitch Perfect of popular songs like “Don’t You Forget About Me” from The Breakfast Club were another great thing about the movie and the rest of the trilogy.
Sing (2016)
In hopes of reviving his theater to get out of the mountain of debt he has, Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey) hosts a singing competition. Because of a hilarious mishap, the prize promised on the fliers for the competition is way more than Moon can afford but it succeeds in drawing in a lot of contestants.
Unfortunate mishap aside, Sing is a fun, music-filled experience. Like actual talent shows, Moon has a preliminary round, during which he chooses a handful of contestants to compete for the grand prize. The final act has amazing performances from the different animals, singing classic hits like Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off,” and a brilliant rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Don’t You Worry About A Thing” by Meena (Tori Kelly). The upcoming sequel, Sing 2, promises to be even bigger and better.
