Review of Sing Street (2016) by Ben B — 31 Aug 2016

Sing Street is written and directed by John Carney and is a story about a boy named Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) starting a band to impress a girl named Raphina (Lucy Boynton).

I had high hopes for this movie going into it. John Carney is the creative mastermind behind Once and Begin Again, another two musical movies I absolutely adore. After watching Sing Street, I have to say that this is his best work yet. Everything works here; Walsh-Peelo plays an extremely likable protagonist most nerds like myself can relate to, and his chemistry with Boynton feels real. The supporting cast is strong as well - Jack Reynor as Conor's brother is hilarious and easy to empathize with as well. Carney's script is filled with witty, off-handed jokes that keep the audience smiling throughout the band's endeavors. The movie, at under 2 hours, breezes by at an unrelenting pace.

Of course, since this is a musical, the music has to be discussed. Gary Clark, with assistance from Carney, writes music very suitable for the time period and influences of the band, passing over a lot of different styles of 80's rock and pop. What makes it better is how Conor and company would change the fashion of their outfits with every style of music they played.

I think my favorite aspect of Sing Street is how genuine it feels. There are familiar themes we've seen dozens of times in other movies, but the solid script and lovable cast makes it feel brand new. I grinned through the music video recordings and teared up during the heart-breaking moments. It just felt real.

Clearly I can't find anything about this movie I didn't like. With the disappointing Summer blockbuster season behind us, it felt great to watch a refreshingly honest indie flick. If you have two ears and a heart, you must watch Sing Street. I promise you won't be let down.

Final grade: A+.

-Ben.