DVD Review: Sing Street

Sing Street

by Lucy Boynton and Ferdia Walsh-Peelo (DVD Sing)

 

1982. Dublin. Conor’s lame parental units are experiencing hard times and to save some dough, they transfer him to a new cut-rate, brutish school. Conor is determined to be chill with it, and rather than trying to fit in he’s trying to figure out who he is. Meanwhile, there’s a fly young woman (played by Lucy Boynton) he wants to get to know; how can he grab her attention?

 

He lives with his brawling folks, a super studious older sister, and an older brother, wise about music and yet suffering from his own stunted dreams, who still manages to impart some golden advice to his younger brother.

He decides to form a band and gathers around him an unlikely group of misfits who deal with bullies, priests, parents and first love along the way.

 

The mood of Sing Street reminds me a lot of 80’s teen films like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, or Sixteen Candles…a similarly predictable plot but it’s fleshed out with some fun original music reminiscent of Duran Duran, Adam Ant, Culture Club, a-ha…favorites from back in the day.

 

I kid you not, it’s a nice combination of a trip down memory lane and a little escapist fun. Personally, I was quite impressed by how many 80’s things this 2016 movie got right. I’ve also heard tell there’s a new Broadway show based on the movie. I just hope their star is as fine as the baby-faced Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, who looks like he could’ve just stepped right off the pages of Tiger Beat. Totally.

 

I’m looking forward to watching it again. So. Much. Fun. And sweetly inspirational.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try School of Rock, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Sixteen Candles or Nowhere Boy.)

 

( Internet Movie Database entry for this film ) | ( official Sing Street Facebook page )

 

Recommended by Carrie K.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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