Sing Street (2016) Movie Review

Sing Street is an Irish film directed by John Carney (Once, Begin Again). Ferdia Walsh-Peelo plays this boy named Conor who transfers to another school and has a bit of a hard time getting used to it, along with having some family problems. It's there that he meets this cute girl named Raphina (played by Lucy Boynton). whom he tries to impress by forming a band called "Sing Street" with some other students. There's some music, a romance begins to bloom, the main character starts to find himself, yadda yadda yadda.


While the plot feels somewhat familiar, being the typical "boy meets girl" tale, there was a lot going for it that made me enjoy the film quite a lot. I gotta give major props to the young actors in the film, giving it their all to portray these characters as genuine as possible. I especially like the relationship between Conor and the older brother played by Jack Reynor (who looks like an Irish Chris Pratt, now that I think about it). You can tell that the latter character, despite being troubled, he cares about him a lot that he helps him out in trying to find a style for the band.

The relationship between Conor and Raphina is pretty spot on. Instead of portraying Conor as some shy person struggling to talk to girls, he is pretty upfront and able to interact with Raphina. This leads to some great chemistry between the two actors. I was starting to buy the intimacy between them just because of how likable they are and how we get to know them a bit that just make them feel more human.

I can't say much about the side characters, consisting of the members of Sing Street, all because they are pretty underdeveloped and they just play some part. However, that doesn't mean that they don't seem to look like they are having fun. I liked some of the interactions between them that shows a strong camaraderie. I even enjoyed seeing them try to make some music videos, which is the equivalent of a group of friends making home movies. Well, I guess a movie can't develop every character, since this is mainly Conor's story and that's where the focus really is.

While the film provides some good humor now and then, it also balances out some nicely done drama. The main character goes through issues like confronting a bully, dealing with a strict principal who is such a stick in the mud, and having a dysfunctional family; it's hard not to feel sorry for him, but the audience also wishes the best for him.

I like the time period that is set in. It is set in 1980's Dublin, Ireland, and the filmmakers did a great job portraying it, from the make-up, to the fashions, to the eyeglasses that look much bigger than mine, to the crazy hair-styles, and the video-cassette technology. There are also some 80's music by several artists like Motorhead, The Cure, and Duran Duran, the former two who I have never even heard of until now. I have a strong fascination with the 1980's, especially the music, so the movie gets bonus points for making me want to live in this decade.

Apart from some licensed songs, it also features a lot of original music from the Sing Street band. They did such a great job making them sound like they wouldn't be out of place in the 1980's. "The Riddle of the Model" is by far the catchiest and most 80's-ish song, from the vocals to the riffs, to the synthesized music; it's really good stuff. I couldn't help but bop my head every time I listen to these songs. I liked the soundtrack so much that after viewing it, I went and bought it off of iTunes. That's how awesome it is.

Overall, Sing Street is one of my favorite movies of the year. It's a well-made film, full of fun characters, catchy music, funny and dramatic moments, and great nostalgia for people who grew up in the 1980's. It has a certain charm to it that after viewing it, I left with a nice feeling of optimism. It's a feel-good, coming of age story that manages to immerse its audience with all the things I have listed. If this is playing in a theater near you, definitely get the chance to see it, because it is...

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