Sing Street

2016 musical coming-of-age movie

Rating: 15/20

Plot: His life at home isn't good, and his new school is stressful, so Conor decides to form a band. He also falls for a model.

I have a two-movie streak with protagonists named Conor.

This can go in the category of movies that I'm probably not the audience for but enjoyed anyway right along with Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I think part of my enjoyment with these teen angsty movies is that I can easily imagine identifying with the characters when I was the age of the characters. This Conor, played very well by some kid named Ferdia Walsh-Peelo (a Hobbit name if I've ever heard one!), sees a video and then has a new image in the subsequent scene. Without saying anything, it totally nails the confusion of the 80s with a whole lot of young people trying to find themselves while trying to be everybody else.

I really enjoyed the performances. The kids who played in the band were really good.

The songs were pretty good, too, even though they didn't really sound like they could have come from the 80s. Inspired by the 80s, yes, but not really from the 80s. I think my favorite thing about the songs is that they would kind of sound like shit when the band first started going, but then gradually, they'd get it together and an actual, usually catchy song would form. There are a few magical musical moments in this actually.

The relationship at the heart of this doesn't really work for me, but another relationship--with the main character and his brother--really got me. Together, they build to a satisfying if completely unbelievable resolution.

Favorite song: I don't remember.

This movie made me want to listen to The Cure. And grow my hair out!

Oh, this is from John Carney, the guy who did Once. I liked that movie better, but I could have given this a 16/20 if I was in a better mood.