SING STREET – Review

The sweet, sweet smell of nostalgia wafts through the multiplex this weekend with the release of writer/director John (ONCE) Carney’s ode to the 1980’s. Really the later part of that decade when kids could switch over to the cable channel MTV and actually watch music videos of their favorite singers and bands (even stodgy old broadcast dinosaur NBC got on board for “Friday Night Videos” after Johnny Carson signed off). Aspiring rock stars sat down to the keyboard and the sketch/notepad to create a new sound and look that would send them to stardom, not just here in the states but all over the world. Even in a modest apartment, oops flat, in Dublin. This is the setting for a sweet, tuneful coming of age story that occurs on SING STREET.

To be exact, it starts in 1986, in Ireland.  A bright lad named Conor AKA Cosmo (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) is nearing 16, when his world begins to turn upside down. His mum and dad (Maris Doyle Kennedy and Aidan Gillen) are on the verge of splitting up. Financial woes are putting a further strain on the marriage. Older brother Brendan (Jack Reynor) has just dropped out of college while older sister Ann (Kelly Thornton) continues on with her college studies, giving up fine art to pursue architecture. Belts must be tightened, so Cosmo must leave the private school and begin anew at a nearby Sygne Street Christian Brothers School better known as “Sing Street” (it’s also known as a tough place). He hopes for the best, but is immediately a target for the bullies, especially hooligan Barry (Ian Kenny), and the staff (the principal berates him for not having black shoes). Happily Cosmo makes a friend in the smaller, also bullied, Darren (Ben Carolan). As the boys leave school, they notice the gorgeous girl standing across the street. Darren warns Cosmo that she will have nothing to do with the Sygne schoolboys, but Cosmo will not be deterred. The beauty’s name is Raphina (Lucy Boynton) a “model/actress”. He boasts that he may hire her to be in his pop band’s music video. As her much older beau approaches they exchange numbers. Now Cosmo must, absolutely has to, start a band! Luckily he shares a love of music videos (particularly MTV superstars Duran Duran) with his rock n’ roll loving brother, who becomes his mentor. Over the next few weeks, Cosmo and Darren (who appoints himself band manager) recruit other students, forming the band “Sing Street”. Raphina becomes their “video vamp” and fashion/makeup consultant while Cosmo attempts to romance her. Finally they get a paying job, playing at the annual school dance. Perhaps this will propel Cosmo and his crew away from the dreary school and land them onto the pop charts.

Walsh-Peelo makes an impressive screen debut as the story’s hero, Cosmo. His expressive eyes convey all the hopes and fears that are bouncing about his brain. We seem him gaining confidence after his hesitant, quivering a capella rendition of “Take on Me” delivered to Raphina to his ascension to “frontman” of Sing Street and finally his stage polish and presence mesmerizing his school mates at the big dance. His creative dreams happily mesh with his first big romance. Walsh-Peelo has a great rapport with all his co-stars, particularly as he tries to woo the wonderful Boynton as his dream girl. Her Raphina tries to remain aloof and distant, but we see how she becomes almost a nurturing mother figure to the boys in the band and an encouraging muse to Cosmo. Boynton is especially compelling as Raphina’s tough outer shell melts away to expose the sad lonely lady inside. And Wash-Peelo also has terrific chemistry with the endearing Reynor as Cosmo’s brother who becomes his music “Yoda”, steering his lil’ bro’ in the right direction via his massive LP collection. With his shaggy, loose delivery Reynor resembles an engaging mix of Seth Rogen with a dash of a Hemsworth (Liam or Chris) as he becomes more of a father figure to Cosmo than their own pop. When he reveals his own dashed dreams, Reynor becomes the film’s broken but still beating heart. All the band mates are great with young Carolan as a funny “wheeler-dealer” and Mark McKenna as the all-purpose musical savant Eamon, whose incredible talents take flight and soar after meeting Cosmo.

The “Hey guys, let’s start a band!” story is a film staple (there’s even a couple of actors from THE COMMITMENTS in the cast), but Carney gives this familiar tale a fresh, vibrant spin thanks to his spirited pacing and this terrific cast. Oh, his script is just full of wit and charm to boot. Unlike many recent movie musician “bio-pics”, Carney captures the energizing joy of creation and collaboration from the few scribbled lines of a poem to attempts to meld it with rhythm and tempo. Plus there’s the added fun of seeing the kids try to create their own style and look for MTV. The clumsy results are awkward and funny. But then Carney shows us the polished version that exists only in Cosmo’s brain. This is very effective in the number “Drive it Like You Stole It” which is set in a BACK TO THE FUTURE-inspired school prom. And it’s a great toe-tappin’ pop tune, as is the big finale “Brown Shoes” which becomes a rebellious anthem directed at the abusive principal (one last “flipping of the bird”). The only problem with the film may be the heavy Irish accents, but your ears should adjust quickly. Otherwise, the film just plain works on every level, as a comedy, a musical, a nostalgic dream, a love story, or a family “dramedy”. It’s sweet without being syrupy and just packed to the brim with charm and joy. That’s why SING STREET so earns and deserves…

5 out of 5

SING STREET opens everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas