When one hears the word “musical,” it’s probably going to conjure images of happy-go-lucky, predominantly family-friendly movies filled with dancing and singing. These qualities certainly apply to classic movie musicals from decades past, likethose starringFred AstaireandGinger Rogers, popular Oscar winners likeThe Sound of MusicandMy Fair Lady, and even classic animated musicals from Disney, likeBeauty and the BeastandThe Lion King.
It’s therefore safe to say that a good many musicals keep things G or perhaps PG-rated, but it’s inaccurate to say the genre as a whole is filled with nothing but squeaky-clean films. The following movie musicals demonstrate this well, as they’re all R-rated (or given equivalent ratings outside the U.S.; within the U.S., R-rated films are for people aged 17+). Not only that, but they’re also all good musicals worth watching for viewers who want something darker. They’re ranked below from great to greatest.
25’Everyone Says I Love You' (1996)
Not all R-rated movies are rated R equally, as movies likeEveryone Says I Love Youdemonstrate. Truthfully, this mash-up of musical and rom-com is about as mild as R-rated movies get, as it was given thatrating “for one use of strong language"that’s briefly heard in the lyrics of a rap song.
The 10 Best Julia Roberts Movies, Ranked
It’s tough to think of another working actress as accomplished and prolific as Julia Roberts: which movies are her best?
Otherwise, it’s all very clean, but it has that 17+ rating in the U.S., so it still counts. As for the film itself, it’s the sort of breezy movie with an all-star cast that you’d expect fromWoody Allenin the 1990s, meaning fans of his will find a good amount to enjoy here, those anyone who isn’t won’t likely be converted from this one.
24’Purple Rain' (1984)
While it’s notthe best movie of 1984by any means,Purple Rainmight well have the best soundtrack of 1984; possibly all time. It’s a movie that starsPrinceand serves as a cinematic companion piece to his iconic album of the same name, withPurple Rainbeing an all-time great collection of pop/rock songs, andPurple Rainthe movie being… alright.
Prince plays an ambitious young musician known only as “The Kid,” with the film following how he navigates the Minneapolis music scene in his attempts to become a star. It’s all fairly standard stuff, but is a little racier than most musicals, and does undeniably feature some of Prince’s best-ever tracks.
23’Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical' (2005)
In 1936, a movie calledReefer Madness(sometimes known asTell Your Children) was released, andunexpectedly became a cult classic some years later. This was for totally unintended reasons, givenReefer Madnesswas supposed to be a hard-hitting cautionary tale about the dangers of smoking marijuana, but instead became hilarious because of how hysterical and overblown it all was.
This cult status eventually paved the way for a remake/parody of sorts in 2005; a movie with the rather self-explanatory title ofReefer Madness: The Movie Musical. It makes fun of the original and adds songs for good measure, being an enjoyable time for anyone who wants to take their ironic enjoyment ofReefer Madnessto the next level.
22’Repo! The Genetic Opera' (2008)
Even ifRepo! The Genetic Operamight not be the very best R-rated musical, it’s certainly up there with the most R-rated of all the R-rated musicals. It’s an exceedingly gory blend of sci-fi, horror, and musical, but kind of needs to be full-on in the blood and gore department, considering the plot revolves around organ repossession in a bleak future.
The 45 Best Musicals of All Time, Ranked
From ‘Singin’ in the Rain' to ‘Cabaret’ to ‘The Sound of Music,’ this is Collider’s ranking of the best musical movies ever made.
Repo! The Genetic Operaworks as an unconventional musicalthat might well appeal to those who don’t like the brighter, sunnier, more wholesome musicals out there. It’s unapologetically brutal and dark, but also has a decent amount of fun with its premise, and thankfully remembers to add in some unexpectedly catchy songs for good measure.
21’Annette' (2021)
As a showcase forthe greatly talentedAdam Driver,Annetteis undeniably striking and bold. As a film, in the conventional sense, however, it’s very unlikely to appeal to everyone, because not only isAnnettedark; it’s also deeply weird in a way that makes most movies that get labeled weird actually seem relatively normal.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to those familiar with past films by directorLeos Carax, nor those who are fans of the music by the duo known asSparks(RonandRussell Mael), who wrote the screenplay forAnnette. It’s a disturbing character study of one terrifying man and his equally terrifying child, playing out like a surreal psychological drama/horror film while also being a musical. It’s deeply strange, but also rather fascinating.
20’Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street' (2007)
Continuing on the train of dark movie musicals,Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Streetis essentially a crime/horror movie with singing. The titular character (Johnny Depp) is a barber who’s also a serial killer, and his neighbor, Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) helps him dispose of the bodies of his victims by baking them into pies.
There is a string of dark comedy throughout the film that can mildly lessen the impact of its more brutal scenes, but it’s nevertheless unafraid to get very bloody and savage. It’s a strong adaptation of the stage show of the same name byStephen Sondheim, and easy to recommend to anyone who’s a fan of both horror and musical movies.
19’Dicks: The Musical' (2023)
In all honesty, it would be absolutely shocking if a movie calledDicks: The Musicalwas released and not given an R-rating… it might be even more shocking than any of the humor found here. And that’s saying something, becauseDicks: The Musicalisundeniably crude, silly, and over-the-top.
‘Dicks: The Musical’: Trailer, Cast, and Everything We Know About Megan Thee Stallion’s A24 Comedy
The upcoming A24 project is ‘The Parent Trap’ meets ‘Step Brothers,’ but with show tunes and elaborate choreography.
The plot follows two businessmen who discover they’re actually twin brothers, and then set about switching places in their lives all for the purpose of reuniting their parents. It’s packed with profanity and crude sexual humor, as you’d expect from a movie calledDicks: The Musical, and is overall shaping up to be one of 2023’s boldest and potentially most divisive films.
18'8 Mile' (2002)
It could be a stretch to label8 Mileas a musical in the traditional sense, but it devotes much of its time to music and features undeniably memorable music numbers. WhatPurple Rainwas for Prince,8 Milesort of is forEminem, with the rapper playing a character with similarities to his own life, and finds himself trying to become a prominent figure within the music world.
In tackling an underdog narrative,8 Mile’sfairly conventional, but it certainly satisfies while building to an effective climax. Eminem might not be the most technically skilled actor, but he does undeniably play himself well, and the film is ultimately at its strongest when it focuses on the rap/music side of things.
17’Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story' (2007)
Standing as one ofthe best parody movies of all time,Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Storytears into the music biopic genre with ruthless efficiency. That it manages to do this while also having some surprisingly great music - more or less working as a musical of sorts - is just icing on the cake.
John C. Reillystars as the title character and gives one of the funniest lead performances of the 21st century so far, with his life story following all the familiar biopic beats and making fun of them all the while.Walk Hard’sa great blend of silly and smart comedy, making it an overall winner for those looking for crudely funny movies that put music front and center.
16’Fame' (1980)
Fameis a sprawling musical that follows a large group of teenagers who are all involved with the performing arts at a New York City high school. Given the ambitious scope, no one finds themselves wrapped up in a super complex narrative or anything, but the cast of characters still remains interesting.
The 25 Greatest Movies of the 1980s, Ranked
From ‘Cinema Paradiso’ to ‘Raging Bull’ to ’The Breakfast Club,’ this is Collider’s ranking of the best movies of the 1980s.
Even if the narrative might feel simple, it’s the style and music that’s givenFameits fame. It delivers everything you’d expect a musical with a little more edge than the genre at its most traditional does, and so works fairly well overall for those into this kind of thing.
