We will see anything that John Carney writes and directs. His Once is a opus of music and falling in love. His second film, Begin Again, is a love letter to the creative process of making music and how our personal life soundtracks define us and help us navigate the emotional and physical bumps and bruises that strike us along the way. His latest, Sing Street, may be his biggest triumph yet.
Sing Street is a celebration of 80s music and as such, is an interesting subject. The business was going through a drastic change on two fronts. The arrival of MTV and electronic synthesizers found both revolutionizing and spreading the power of innovative music and musicians all over the world.
For Irish teenager Cosmo (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), it is a rough time. Because of Ireland’s dismal economic situation, his parents have been forced to cut back on many fronts, not the least of which is his education. Instead of a respected school with a genuinely solid reputation, he now has to go to Synge Street School, where rumbles are as much a part of the educational day as are reading, writing and arithmetic.
He is a loner, and moving to a new school is not helping him find himself and others who can enrich his life. His older brother is a source of inspiration, educating him mostly in the world of music and its current evolutionary state. Meanwhile, his parent’s marriage seems to be slipping away along with their positive economic prospects.
But, in an instant, Cosmo finds purpose. He meets a girl named Raphina (Lucy Boynton) across the street from his school and on the spot; Cosmo tells the aspiring model that his band needs a star for their music video.
One problem… he needs to form a band.
Carney entertainingly and efficiently follows Cosmo as he puts this band together. They are a diverse group that now is in search of a sound. This is the time of The Cure and Duran Duran. Two particular scenes possess some serious power. One finds Cosmo’s brother Brendan (Jack Reynor) playing the video for Duran Duran’s Rio on their telly. You know that moment when a piece of pop culture changes everything for you — Carney captures it here for Cosmo. The other involves him telling his little brother than the only homework he should be doing is listening to albums, and promptly gives him some LPs from a slew of artists that shaped that era.
Suddenly, our newly formed band takes shape and yes, a video will be shot and our lead will have his chance at love.
The thing is… love is complicated. Isn’t it always? Nothing comes easy to these lads and their band, not to mention Cosmo and Brendan’s family. This is Ireland in the 80s after all.
Carney paints a picture of his homeland better than anyone lately and is in many ways, is a modern day Jim Sheridan, albeit with a bit more humor and rhythm! His film moves at a delightful pace that has the audience never wanting it to end. As our film closes, don’t be surprised if the desire to stay with these characters and rock out for a few more hours overcomes you.
Whereas Carney’s last two films were love letters to music in very different ways, so too is Sing Street. This is a movie that captures a time when love, future possibilities and music was everything. The all consuming nature of existing at this age concerns very little that matters in a larger scope on the journey of life. Yet, at the time, it is everything. Carney understands that and regardless of whether you grew up during the 80s (which this writer did) or some other time, the feelings, the emotions and the painful and simultaneously joy of personal growth is the same. The director has captured it with a level of magic, adoration and an absolute sense of sonically supreme reality like few films in today’s cinematic world.
Lastly, you will want to own the soundtrack. The original songs that Carney helped bring together for Cosmo’s band Sing Street — a play on the title of their school — are 80s in every way. It is astonishing the talent that went into the music… and the film as a whole.
Sing Street is out now in select theaters and will expand in coming weeks. Seek. It. Out!
Grade: A+