«Sing Street» - Movie Review by Kinoafisha

Ireland, Dublin, 1985. The country is in an economic crisis, and many are struggling to make ends meet. The parents of the large Lowlor family, already on the brink of divorce, are forced to think about saving money. To cut expenses, they transfer their youngest son, Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), from a private school to a public one. The atmosphere there is not the friendliest. But soon, the young hero meets aspiring model Raphina (Lucy Boynton). Flirting with the girl, Conor lies and claims he's in a band, inviting her to be in a music video. Now all he has to do is form a real band, decide on a style, and start playing. After all, it's the eighties, and music defines youth's very existence.

Five years after its original release, John Carney's film "Sing Street" reaches Russian theaters. If there's one thing we can thank the pandemic for, it's the halt in the production of new films, which gives us a chance to see this work on the big screen. And even though it now has a louder but less logical title, "Sing Street" (in reality, the film features a much more diverse range of musical styles), it doesn't diminish the story itself.

The appearance of such a film in theaters is like a time machine that takes us back to the past, with a few stops along the way. In 2021, everyone knows that Lucy Boynton will go on to star in blockbusters like "Bohemian Rhapsody," and Mark McKenna will not only be singing in the band Milk, but will also deliver an incredible performance in the series "Wayne," which will immediately become quotable. And the film itself will receive a Golden Globe nomination and instantly become a cult hit.

But the time machine transports us to 2016, when none of this was known. By that time, Irish director John Carney had already professed his love for good music, first with "Once," and then with the luminous film "Begin Again" starring Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo. By the way, both films were nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song, with the first one even winning.

But then Carny seemed to decide to immerse himself in his own childhood and tell the story of Dublin schoolchildren in the 1980s. However, the director did not make a banal nostalgic film. This is the second stop of the same time machine. The film not only references the pop culture of the past, but it seems to have come straight from 1985 with all the naivety of the plot, simplicity of the shots, and unwavering positivity.

Now such a story seems like a great escape amidst complex dramas in cinema and against the backdrop of the events of the real, overly complicated world. Of course, the main character has to go through some difficulties: his parents' divorce, transferring to a new school, and lack of self-confidence. But, strictly speaking, he manages with most of his troubles too easily, and his adversaries turn out to be operetta villains - funny, not scary. Conor instantly finds friends, immediately forms a band, and, of course, wins over his love interest. Still, this story is not about overcoming obstacles, but simply about finding oneself through creativity.

That's why Conor and his band "Sing Street" go through all the stages of "growing up" in music with ease, creating ecstasy for fans of A-Ha, Duran Duran, The Cure, and many other bands. They imitate their idols in their music and appearance, trading silly carnival costumes for black coats and hats.

In this film, music is tied to everything: coming of age, bonding with an older brother (who turns out to be much more important than initially thought), and even love. After all, true freedom for teenagers comes from creativity.

The director wisely cast completely inexperienced actors in the film, who nonetheless know how to act. The dramatic elements are handled mostly by Walsh-Peelo and Boynton, while the others frequently play and deliver the traditional phrases of musicians, as is the case in regular music videos.

Essentially, "Sing Street" is one long and naive music video, coming straight from the middle of the 1980s. Astonishingly, the film, which was late to arrive in Russian theaters by several years, is released at the perfect time - during the flourishing period of the nostalgia theme set by "Stranger Things" and other projects in that same 2016.

That's why it will appear so warm to anyone who experienced the start of the original MTV, debated about music by Depeche Mode and Duran Duran. And, of course, to anyone who tried to form their own rock band in their childhood or youth.