Back in 2020, while hanging around my house with little to do aside from virtual classes, I became obsessed with the soundtrack to a new Broadway musical my mom had introduced me to, Sing Street. Despite the musical never getting to see the light of day, I found out later that it was based on a film by the same name, so I finally decided to watch it two weeks ago.
Sing Street is an independent musical coming-of-age film set in 1980s Ireland. Conor, a new kid from a broken home at a strict all-boys high school, decides to start a band with his friends. Although originally trying to impress a girl, he eventually discovers music as a way to express himself.
The first thing I want to comment on is, of course, the music. Music is a huge part of the plot of this film, both the licensed (or pre-existing) songs and the original songs. I love the inclusion of classic 80s rock or pop songs, partly because my parents raised me on a lot of 80s music, but also because it’s cool to see the evolution in the band’s style.
The original songs were the only aspect of the film that I knew before going into it, and I was so happy to hear all of these songs that, to be honest, I hadn’t listened to in a fairly long time. While the singing isn’t necessarily the best (listen to the Broadway recording; the quality is much better and includes two songs not in the movie), they are so cute and catchy that you can’t help but love them! If I had to pick a favorite, I’d say “Up” is the winner. This was the first song I’d heard and it automatically puts me in a good mood every single time.
Another element that I connected with was the simplicity of the writing and acting. This is a pretty straightforward story with a lot of room for little moments between the characters that just feel very real. My favorite moment in this movie was a particular kiss scene, where the characters talk and act like how teenagers would actually speak and act in an awkward, blossoming relationship. There’s this essence of innocence and awkwardness that I haven’t seen in a movie before; it felt really special.
My only real issue with the film is the ending. Without getting into spoilers, the ending feels a little rushed and has much bigger consequences than the rest of the movie deals with. It’s cute and accompanied by a great final song, don’t get me wrong, it just felt a little hectic for a relatively calm movie overall.
I was so glad to finally check out Sing Street, and I highly recommend watching it for a killer soundtrack and good vibes!
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