10 Movies That Used Great Songs To Trick You Into Watching Them

5. The Commitments

When it came to movie gambles, few were more risky than 1991's The Commitments. Showcasing a cast of Irish unknowns trying to make it big on the music scene, studio 20th Century Fox had only Roddy Doyle's novel and helmer Alan Parker's enthusiasm as a guarantee of success. Luckily the bet paid off and the film cleaned up quicker than a housemaid on speedballs. It must have helped Parker's case no end that the backbone of the script was a plethora of soul. If this saga of shouty types wasn't your cup of tea, then how about a rousing rendition of Mustang Sally to get your toes tapping? A soundtrack got created that was as essential to own as the tale itself. The music gave the project enough legs to spawn a stage musical and a short-lived spin-off sitcom. Many of the cast were never seen in anything as high-profile again. But the legacy of The Commitments lives on, and it's mainly down to that sweet soul music. The world took the aspiring stars to their hearts, but it wouldn't even have got to the threshold of the picture house without that distinctive output ringing in its ears.