In Sing Street, a boy growing up in Dublin during the 1980s escapes his strained family life by starting a band to impress the mysterious girl he likes. Sing Street is by far the most excellent film I’ve seen this year. Director John Carney loves using music to carry a film, and doing that with a movie is often a challenge, because as a result, your film can become a complete bore or the opposite, a fun movie with a great feel. His 2014 film Begin Again, starring Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo, wasn’t a miss but not quite a hit either, with some good original songs but not a great plot. However, he hits all the right notes with Sing Street, which feels like his ode to teenage love. Set in the director’s hometown (and school), a boy’s strive towards a beautiful girl leads him to discover a passion for music within him. Every musical moment in this movie leaves you with a huge smile on your face that you do not want to get rid of. The songs in the movie are all meaningful and connect well to the current tone within that certain point in the movie. The movie is so well represented and carried on by its songs that you simply don’t want the film to end. The actors also carry the film wonderfully. The film’s young lead Ferdia Walsh-Peelo is both an excellent singer and actor who is successfully able to bring his character’s multiple conflicts as well as his talents to the screen, especially for a Hollywood newcomer. His character feels very relate-able for teenage audiences, and can inspire you to seek a talent within you. Another magnificent breakthrough performance comes from Lucy Boynton, who plays the protagonist’s love interest. She brings lots of charm and positivity to her character that you immediately want to see more from this actress. Transformers actor Jack Reynor redeems himself in his role here as the protagonist’s older brother, who guides him through his life of love, music, and other challenges that we all face. Reynor’s character also feels like a great inspiration, as he is what keeps our main character confident about himself, and the brotherly bond between the two is a big part of what can inspire audiences.

It’s nearly impossible not to sit through Sing Street without a huge smile on your face. It’s a celebration of the universal 80’s age of music, and it’s the director’s ode to teenage love, talent, and passion. The pacing is always on the right key, so I guarantee it will keep you entertained. The music is sure to keep you upbeat and excited, and I haven’t seen a movie that’s been driven so well by its music for so long. This movie feels delightful, personal, heartfelt, and anything else you feel it to be. The message of this film is to pursue anything you truly desire, so this can appeal to adults of all ages, as well as teens starting from age 13. This film feels so delightful, entertaining, touching, and youthful that its definitely not one to miss, and I could even call this one my favorite film of the year so far.