John Carney's highly entertaining and youthfully vibrant, Sing Street will be the most delightful riot of eighties-reminiscent nostalgia you never thought you needed.

Rating: 8/10 (13 March 2016)

Following Carney's stunning hit Once, his attempt at 2013â€²s Begin Again, although (at first glance) full of indie music-lover potential, never quite felt like it understood what you wanted it to be. Since re-watching Begin Again, hoping to find some reasoning behind this, it became apparent that the film never finds its own voice or identity, like Once did, despite its great cast and original music. Instead of ignoring this, Carney has focused on this misstep with Sing Street, creating a truly genuine ode to not just the seventies and all coming-of-age youth, but his own personal experience.
There is a deliberate personal touch here, and the film is all the better for it - it is present in the relatable character of Cosmo (played by the impressive Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) and his hormone- infused ambitions to simply "get the girl". Instigated by the presence of the beautiful and mysterious Raphina (played by the lovely Lucy Boynton), Cosmo starts a band. He is guided by his older brother Brendan (played by the excellent Jack Reynor) and his rebellious 80â€²s taste in music, to inspire his own band's music. What follows is a musically-charged narrative of experiments in identity, rebelling against oppression and hilarious attempts at parodying classic 80â€²s music videos. You have to wonder how interesting a character Carney must have been at that age, growing up in conservative Dublin and gaining a taste in new music that opened up his world, like his character Cosmo.
Frieda Walsh-Peelo does a fine job, although not leading man quality yet, he carries the film considerably well for his first acting role. More impressive, is his vocal talent. Frieda is a trained opera singer and musician at only 16. His broad vocal range is apparent and works really well with the many different songs in the film. It will be exciting to see what other projects he tackles in the future.
Lucy Boynton is stunning and so believable as the sure-footed and mysterious Raphina - she really wears the eighties wardrobe well as she fully embodies this role, rather than the other way around. Early on, her character is saved from Manic-Pixie-Dreamgirl syndrome and she becomes a real, imperfect, three-dimensional character. Boynton's light, airy voice lends to her character's naiveness, which is a stark contrast to the image she projects.
Perhaps the most enjoyable character (aside from the underused band members, who do deserve some more love) is Cosmo's older brother Brendan, played by Jack Reynor. Reynor manages to make Brendan into both a reckless, failed dreamer as well as the older brother we all wish we had. By the end of this film you'll empathize with him even more and that's not just because it's written well.
The only concern will be that most notably, at the TIFF Next Wave film festival, it was acknowledged during the Q&A's how approximately 90% of the audience were 50 or older. The soundtrack, if marketed correctly, could become a hit. Tunes like "Rhythm of the Model" and "Drive it Like You Stole It" were clearly audience favourites. It will be interesting to see how this will be marketed though. The music, although catchy and fun, is not "mainstream" and younger audiences may not bite. Older audiences who come for shoutouts to Duran Duran and The Cure may be put off by how toned down and slightly unrealistic or easy the plot plays out.
There seems to be some confusion with this film, if it was made for adolescents or older audiences or just John Carney. I would have to agree with all three. I found Sing Street similar to a Pixar film in that it's marketed toward the younger set with a story that doesn't get too ugly but is pulled off well with a strong message. References that only adults will get will go over kids' heads. But ultimately - this is a movie for and by John Carney. And that is why is it so unlike Begin Again - Sing Street has it's own voice and identity.
Overall, the message is so clear and true in this film. The world Carney places his story in is so rich that it refuses to lack depth despite it's expected younger audience. There are relatable subplots about family and marriage, the bond between brothers, oppression in society, and the desire to achieve your dreams despite where you come from. Admittedly, there are some underused characters who still manage to naturally add charisma and charm. Perhaps a missed opportunity, but the rest of the band members fall to the wayside to make room for Cosmo and Raphina's boy- meets-girl plot. This could've easily become a completely different film about the band itself and made into an ensemble's story. However, Sing Street is much more than that - it's a personal journey through adolescence. It's about daring to dream beyond what is put in front of you. (Reviewed by : COLD KNEES)