Teenage kicks

Rating: 5/10 (14 April 2019)

Sing Street is a feelgood teen film that is obviously inspired by those 1980s John Hughes teen comedy.
Fourteen year old Conor Lawlor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) parent's are facing money worries and relationship troubles. He has to move schools and ends up in a severe Christian school. Brother Baxter picks on him because he dos not wear the correct black shoes and he also falls foul of the school bully.
He makes friends with fellow schoolmate Darren and they together decide to form a band. Pretty wannabe model Raphina shoots the band's video as they aim to play at the end of term school concert. Conor falls for the slightly older Raphina but she already has a boyfriend.
Sing Street has a light plot and thin characterisation. Everyone wants to live a better life and not the one their parents have. Raphina wants to run away to London even with no money. It did feel like bits of other similar movies put together.
When it comes to a place and time, the film is all over the place. At one point Conor's family watch Duran Duran's video of Rio and act like it's the first time they are seeing the band. So you think it is 1982. Then you have A-ha's Take on Me and mention of Back to the Future so it must be late 1985 or 1986. Then you get Starship's We built this City that was released in 1987. Then there is Conor's brother mentioning priests abusing kids. It might not even be in the 1980s at all.