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Sing Street -
Some movie lovers get the most joy from seeing a good car chase. For others, it's watching a romance play out. After seeing this movie, I'm starting to wonder if watching a band form and become successful is what really does it for me. This movie joins the ranks of the best ones like it such as The Commitments and School of Rock. Like the former, of which it shares similarities beyond the very obvious, it's backed with authenticity from Dublin's dire economic situation in the 1980s to a school experience that would make even Roger Waters blush. If reading "1980s" made you sigh and think, "not again," I don't blame you, but despite the costumes, the soundtrack flush with hits from that decade and the titular band's amateur music videos, this is not mere nostalgia bait. Besides, the most joyous musical scenes feature the songs written for the movie. On that note (no pun intended), it provides one of the most believable depictions of the song crafting process I've seen in a movie. As for what inspires our hero, Conor (Walsh-Peelo) to start his venture, his desire to impress the beautiful Raphina (Boynton), it's an utterly charming romance, and when it's not so charming, the pathos is never contrived. I'm also eager to check out the other work by Jack Reynor, who plays Conor's musically gifted college dropout older brother, and hope that Mark McKenna's career thrives because I love his work as Conor's musical savant bandmate.
I tried to think of other words besides "joy" while writing this, but no other word describes its vibe better. Its joy comes from how well it conveys the joy of music in its many forms, whether it's the confidence it builds, how it brings people together despite their history and how it makes hard times from high unemployment to a broken home bearable. I would go so far to say that it’s the kind of movie that makes you remember why you enjoy watching movies in general. What's more, the joy lasts long after the movie is over because the songs are bound to be stuck in your head and/or compel you to listen to them again. Oh, and I will go so far to say that they're more likely to stick with you than the ones in that other, L.A.-based musical from 2016.
Some movie lovers get the most joy from seeing a good car chase. For others, it's watching a romance play out. After seeing this movie, I'm starting to wonder if watching a band form and become successful is what really does it for me. This movie joins the ranks of the best ones like it such as The Commitments and School of Rock. Like the former, of which it shares similarities beyond the very obvious, it's backed with authenticity from Dublin's dire economic situation in the 1980s to a school experience that would make even Roger Waters blush. If reading "1980s" made you sigh and think, "not again," I don't blame you, but despite the costumes, the soundtrack flush with hits from that decade and the titular band's amateur music videos, this is not mere nostalgia bait. Besides, the most joyous musical scenes feature the songs written for the movie. On that note (no pun intended), it provides one of the most believable depictions of the song crafting process I've seen in a movie. As for what inspires our hero, Conor (Walsh-Peelo) to start his venture, his desire to impress the beautiful Raphina (Boynton), it's an utterly charming romance, and when it's not so charming, the pathos is never contrived. I'm also eager to check out the other work by Jack Reynor, who plays Conor's musically gifted college dropout older brother, and hope that Mark McKenna's career thrives because I love his work as Conor's musical savant bandmate.
I tried to think of other words besides "joy" while writing this, but no other word describes its vibe better. Its joy comes from how well it conveys the joy of music in its many forms, whether it's the confidence it builds, how it brings people together despite their history and how it makes hard times from high unemployment to a broken home bearable. I would go so far to say that it’s the kind of movie that makes you remember why you enjoy watching movies in general. What's more, the joy lasts long after the movie is over because the songs are bound to be stuck in your head and/or compel you to listen to them again. Oh, and I will go so far to say that they're more likely to stick with you than the ones in that other, L.A.-based musical from 2016.