Set in Dublin during the economic depression of the mid-1980s, this sensitive and perceptive coming-of-age fable from Irish writer-director John Carney marks the third of his engaging, music-themed, semi-autobiographical films, following Once and Begin Again. When his perpetually bickering, financially-strapped parents (Aiden Gillen, Maria Doyle Kennedy) transfer idealistic, 14-year-old Conor Lalor (newcomer Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) to a tuition-free Christian Brothers Catholic school, he's brutally set upon by the local bully and the creepy headmaster. As an emotional escape and to impress an ambitious girl, Conor decides to form a futuristic New Wave pop band called Sing Street (riffing on the derelict Synge Street location of the school), and he recruits keyboardist Ngig (Percy Chamburuka), multi-instrumentalist/composer Eamon (Mark McKenna), and business-savvy Darren (Ben Carolan). Amidst derision and scorn, Conor is befriended by the object of his affections, beguiling 17-year-old Raphina (Lucy Bounton), who lives in a nearby group home for orphaned girls and yearns to escape to London to become a model. A Sing Street music video would be just the ticket! As his spontaneous schoolboy band takes shape, Conor is also supported by his perpetually stoned, music-wise older brother Brendan (Jack Reynor), who inspires him with Duran Duran's music video for “Rio.” Energetic and enjoyable, with ‘80s-style nostalgic music, this is recommended. (S. Granger)
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