REVIEW: Sing Street tops the charts

WHAT’S the best Irish film ever? Now there’s a question to spark an hour or two of heated debate amongst friends. ‘The Commitments’, ‘My Left Foot’, ‘The Guard’, this year’s ‘Room’ or ‘Brooklyn’? All worthy contenders and there are many more, including ‘Once’, from writer/director John Carney, which won the Oscar for Best Song in 2008.

Well Carney (former bassist of ‘The Frames’) is back with his new film ‘Sing Street’, and once more, he hasn’t strayed very far from the two subjects he knows best, living in Dublin and playing in a band.    

The movie takes us back to 1980s Ireland where an economic recession forces Conor out of his comfortable private school and into survival mode at inner-city Synge Street, where the kids are rough and the teachers are rougher. 

He finds a glimmer of hope in the mysterious and über-cool Raphina, and with the aim of winning her heart he invites her to star in his band’s music videos. She agrees, and now all Conor has to do, is bring his imaginary band to life. 

The film is made up largely of an unknown cast of kids, headed superbly by Wicklow’s Ferdia Walsh Peelo, and although there are supporting roles for Aiden Gillen, Maria Doyle Kennedy and the excellent Jack Raynor, it’s the younger actors who steal the show. 

The movie also features a memorable soundtrack of hits from the likes of Duran Duran, The Cure and The Police, as well as new songs written by the ridiculously talented Carney, and musical genius Gary Clark. 

‘Sing Street’ has everything you could wish for in a cinematic experience. It’s laugh out loud funny, heart-breaking, has great acting, a solid story and foot tapping music. 

It won’t win an Oscar because it’s not serious enough, but I don’t know about you, I go to the movies to be entertained. 

And on that score, ‘Sing Street’ is the best film of the year by a mile, maybe last year too. The best Irish film ever? It might just be. We score it a magnificent 5 out of 5 stars. 

Paul O’Rourke