BLU-RAY REVIEW: Sing Street

Courtesy of The Weinstein Company

You know that feeling you get when you fall hard for a movie? The moment a switch flips in your head and you realize you’re in love with everything about this fictional world you’ve immersed yourself in? It’s when you know you’ll be shouting your devotion from the rooftops until everyone you know either shares that love or begs you to shut up about it.

For me, that happened with Sing Street around 20 minutes in. The latest from writer-director John Carney (Once, Begin Again) is yet another love letter to music, but he keeps getting better rather than spinning his wheels. He transports viewers to 1980s-era Dublin, depicted through the eyes of a young boy discovering a talent for songwriting, and reminds us – in ways both joyous and melancholy – about the transformative power of creativity and art.

14-year-old Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) is grappling with his parents’ (Maria Doyle Kennedy and Aidan Gillen) inevitable split and his life at a new, far rougher school than he’s used to. The highlight of his first week is running into Raphina (Lucy Boynton), a beautiful, mysterious girl who lives across the street.

When he learns she’s an aspiring model, he invites her to appear in his band’s music video. The only problem? He’s not in a band. But one of the glorious truths that Sing Street inherently gets is that kids don’t care about realistic expectations or impossibilities. Conor knows he needs to form a band, so that’s what he does. As a result, a kid with no friends and minimal talent quickly becomes the skilled leader of rock group – all because of a girl, of course.

The incredible music makes Sing Street a must-watch, but Walsh-Peelo, Boyton, Jack Reynor (as Conor’s older brother/mentor) and the other young actors are clear standouts as well. They instill each character with clear personalities and eccentricities, even though some roles aren’t as prominent as others. The standard “kids pursue an improbable dream” trope often comes across as cheesy or maudlin, but it works here thanks to Carney’s pragmatic approach to the proceedings.

But the story still allows for the possibility that magic sometimes happens. Take the scene in which Conor and Raphina walk through the park getting to know each other. Because a-ha’s “Take On Me” played a prominent role in their first conversation, we hear a gorgeous instrumental version softly play as their relationship grows. The subtle cue underscores the crucial role music often plays in life’s big moments.

In another enchanted scene, Conor prepares to shoot a pivotal video. However, rather than see what actually plays out, Carney allows us to witness the fantasy version that the protagonist pictures in his head. It’s a fantastic sequence that put a big, stupid grin on my face.

I’m disappointed that Sing Street didn’t make a bigger impression in the U.S., considering it’s a nearly perfect audience pleaser. However, I’m making it a personal mission to get viewers to discover this wonderful movie now that it’s more accessible. It has the potential to be a future classic.

Sing Street is rated PG-13 for thematic elements including strong language and some bullying behavior, a suggestive image, drug material and teen smoking.

Grade: A