Sing Street Parent Guide

Ireland in 1985 is engulfed in a devastating recession that forces many Irish people to leave for England in hope of finding jobs. Those left behind are struggling to make ends meet, with many unemployed. Conor Lawlor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) is a 15-year-old Dubliner with a passion for music and a desire to stand out. With his father out of work, Conor is sent to a cheaper school, Synge Street, where he meets a mysterious girl (Lucy Boynton) who lives across the street from the school. In a bid to impress her, Conor tells her he’s in a band and is looking for someone to be in their music video. To keep up the lie, Conor puts together a band called Sing Street. As their music and relationships develop, Conor learns how to be himself, stand up to bullies, and risk everything for a dream.

Coming of age movies tend to be a mixed bag. Sometimes they’re over sexualized, or unrealistic, or just plain bad. But when a coming of age story is done right, it can be amazing. Sing Street, luckily, falls into the later category. Conor’s journey of self-discovery and growth is beautifully told. He makes mistakes and he stumbles, but he also learns and grows. He faces problems that many teens face, such as bullies, trouble at home, and an unrequited crush, but his vulnerability and strength carry him through these challenges. His journey is subtly and powerfully reflected in the costuming and makeup choices. We see Conor try different styles emulating 80s pop stars until he finally finds a style all his own.

I would be remiss if I did not sing (see what I did there?) the praises of Sing Street’s soundtrack. The original music that the band writes is amazing. I have been listening to this soundtrack on a regular basis since 2016 and I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon. The music genres run the gamut from synth rock to piano ballads to 80s pop, but they are all integrated seamlessly into the story, and the music itself acts as a parallel to Conor’s growth as a person.

Sing Street is an all-round inspiring film. The story, the acting, the music, the production, and the writing all work together to tell a simple but uplifting story. The ending is motivational, but not in a cheesy way. It’s hard to explain, but it made me feel full of hope and passion and a desire to go out and live my dreams. That all said, Sing Street does contain a fair amount of content concerns, especially as far as language goes, so I can’t recommend it for young audiences. Compared to other entries in this genre it is actually relatively clean in some areas, but it is set in Ireland in the 80s, so there’s going to be a lot of swearing and smoking. For older teens and adults, Sing Street is an amazing coming of age story with a beautiful message and a fantastic soundtrack.