It's 1980s in Dublin, and there's a boy, a girl and music. That's how Sing Street can be summarised in a few words. But when you have John Carney -- director-writer of Once and Begin Again -- at the helm of this musical comedy-drama, you know the film is so much more than just a simple boy-meets-girl story.
Leading the film is newcomer Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, who plays boy-next-door Conor Lalor, a lad caught in a dysfunctional family of separating parents, a stoner brother and a bookish sister. The family's financial struggle sees Conor getting transferred to a new school to save money. He quickly becomes targeted by the new school's bully and a stern, abusive teacher.
But a saving grace soon comes in the form of Raphina (Lucy Boynton), a mysterious model who lives across from his new school. To impress Raphina, Conor asks her to be in his band's music video, which she agrees to. Since he doesn't have a band, Conor decides to just create one himself. From there we are catapulted into the eyeliner-smearing VHS era that ends up giving us plenty of laughs, an earful of great sounds and a parting message to sleep on.
While Sing Street is about young love and budding romance, it's also largely about aspiring musicians, their struggles and inspirations shifting and rolling along with family drama, school and other facets in life. That seems a template for much of Carney's work: underdog artists who live and breathe music. Music is a saviour for lonely souls and battered escapists. And Conor is one of those who seek solace in it. Nothing is better at drowning out his parents' yell. And many things are better left said through the rhythms and lyrics of the songs.
As with Carney's previous musical, audiences receive a killer soundtrack that will be stuck in their head for days. Sing Street lives up to that note-perfectly, offering both 80s tracks from the likes of Duran Duran and the Cure, and original tracks from the Sing Street band and Adam Levine.
Like Begin Again's anthem, Lost Stars, Levine's new track for the film -- entitled Go Now -- will most likely become overplayed by live bands and karaoke machines all over the country. We're bound to hear it at every single hipster market from now on.
Aside from its irresistible tunes, the thing I find very charming about the film is its young cast of Irish boys. This time around, Carney steers clear from the blockbuster names and opts instead for fresh faces. From the leading man, Walsh-Peelo, to all his fellow band members, they have their own distinct traits and quirks making them -- both individually and collectively -- a lovable comedic force in this film.
The boys are stealing hearts left and right. And then there are the veterans lurking in the background that make everything all the more interesting and fun. Carney backed his young cast with familiar faces like Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones' Littlefinger) and Maria Doyle Kennedy (we've seen her as Catherine of Aragon in The Tudors and now she's in Orphan Black), who play Conor's parents. Too bad we don't get to hear Doyle Kennedy -- a professional singer and songwriter -- sing in this film.
While its story seems simple and familiar, Carney manages to make Sing Street a fresh take with the right amount of happiness, sadness, hope and optimism. And if there's anyone who knows how to rightly capture the sound of music onto film, it's Carney. This feel-good flick should please musical devotees as well as hopeless romantics everywhere.
Sing Street
Starring Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Lucy Boynton, Jack Reynor and Aidan Gillen.
Directed by John Carney.
