Sing Street

Plot: Cosmo (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) lives in poor neighborhood in Dublin in the 1980s, and starts at a new school. At the new school he meets Raphina (Lucy Boyton) who says she is a model. He lies that he is in a band, and then needs to form a band to cover his lie. He meets Darren (Ben Carolan) and Eamon (Mark McKenna) who start writing songs, and then producing a video with Raphina in it. Soon Cosmo is writing songs and flirting. It ends with a big concert at the high school.  [imdb]    [photos]

Review: Sing Street is a musical sitcom. The best part are the songs, and the you-can-do-it-optimism that only kid's movies have. The movie has go-for-it theme. It reminds me of my favorite song from the movie: Drive It Like You Stole It, which I bought immediately after I got home. Ferdia Walsh-Peelo can sing, and he is likeable.

The low points are the acting which wasn't engaging, both the kids and the adults. I am tired of sex abuse jokes about priests too. Even though Brother Baxter (Don Wycherley) was a highlight, especially when he washed the make-up off Cosmo.

 I found many of the boyish high school scenes cringe-inducing because of the embarrassing situations the kids find themselves in.

The positive, you-can-do-it attitude comes organically, so it does not feel like an afterschool special -- except in hindsight.

Cast: Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Lucy Boynton

Directed by: John Carney

Written by: John Carney

The Music: Some songs were composed by writer director John Carney with Gary Clark, an 80's producer

The Visuals: OK. I liked the fantasy dance concert, otherwise its obviously low budget. 

Rating: 2.5 stars: Maybe two stars? My wife Jenny, loved it, and wants me to give it 4 stars. 

 

More: I liked seeing Maria Doyle Kennedy. She also play Siobhan from Orphan Black -- one of my favorite shows.

Even More: As you might have guessed, the film is a semi-autobiographical version of writer John Carney's life. I wonder who is Raphina was?  Carney says that he did form a band, and it did get the bullies of his back. And he says [he] "got the girl that I fancied." More here.

Yet More: Oh and the real life Eamon had rabbits, just like in the movie.

MAJOR SPOILER: Director Carney said that having Cosmo and Raphina drown in the sea might have been a better ending. "He is like the brave captain, but it is all in his head." More here.

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