Susan Granger’s review of “Sing Street” (The Weinstein Company)

 

Set in Dublin during the economic depression of the mid-1980s, this is a sensitive, perceptive coming-of-age fable by Irish writer/director John Carney is the third in his trilogy of engaging, music-themed, semi-autobiographical films, following “Once” and “Begin Again.”

When his perpetually bickering, financially-strapped parents (Aiden Gillen, Maria Doyle Kennedy) transfer idealistic, 15 year-old Connor Lalor (newcomer Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) to a tuition-free Christian Brothers Catholic school, he’s brutally set upon by the local bully and the creepy head-master.

As an emotional escape and to impress an ambitious girl, Conor decides to form a futuristic New Wave pop band called Sing Street, riffing on the derelict Synge Street location of the school, recruiting keyboardist Ngig (Percy Chamburuka), multi-instrumentalist/composer Eamon (Mark McKenna) and business-savvy Darren (Ben Carolan).

Amid derision and scorn, he’s befriended by the object of his affections, beguiling 17 year-old Raphina (Lucy Bounton), who lives in a nearby group home for orphaned girls and yearns to escape to London to become a model. A Sing Street music video would be just the ticket!

As his spontaneous schoolboy quintet takes shape, he’s also supported by his perpetually stoned, music-wise older brother Brendan (Jack Reynor), who inspires him with Duran Duran’s music video “Rio.” It’s significant that – in the closing credits – the film is dedicated to “brothers.”

Wearing flamboyant costumes and Boy George make-up, the adolescent band plays British pop. While avid music enthusiasts have told me that some of the band’s choices are a year or two out-of-sync with the time frame, the modest concept is great fun.

On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Sing Street” is an energetic, enjoyable 8 – nostalgic music to your ears.