There is not a more satisfying feeling for a cinephile than having mild to no expectations for a film, yet at its conclusion, you are not just pleasantly surprised by its greatness, but the film becomes one of your top films of the first half of the year. Sing Street is that film.

In a year that has seen films that have been nothing short of pleasant surprises, such as The Jungle Book, Sing Street tops that list. A film that not only has you singing along with the outstanding music, but pulls the chords of your heart and makes you understand these endearing characters.

The premise is a quite simple and often used one. The year is 1985, and Dublin teenager, Conor/Cosmo, forms a Rock’n’Roll band to win the heart of an aspiring model, Raphina. The execution by writer/director John Carney is what sets this film apart from other boy chasing girl stories. With previous Academy Award nominated and winning films Once and Begin Again, Carney has demonstrated his niche for the music and direction in his work. The final product is an excellent coming of age story, which has a young boy deal with his family’s problems, adjust to a new school, and being bullied by not just students, but also by staff. A parallel that shows that bullying comes in all shapes and forms.

Despite the problems at hand, the film shows that nothing matters when you’re on a journey to find yourself. Conor fights these problems head on, including his uncertain future, with amounts of optimism that are not seen in today’s society. The cast is just likable. Every piece of dialogue has a purpose and is aided superbly by cast performances.

Headed by Ferdia Walsh Peelo and Lucy Boynton, the film is elevated with its strong dialogue, and a consistent sense of humor throughout. In the backdrop, we have the music. The music in this film is some of the best I’ve heard all year. It would be a travesty if one of these original songs were not nominated for an Academy Award next year.

Within the many themes of the film. Sing Street is a testament to the true importance of music. The simplicity that through any bad situation, music is always at your disposal and will always understand what you are going through, when no one else does.In one of the band’s songs, Conor sings,

“This is your life, You can go anywhere, You gotta grab the wheel and own it and drive it like you stole it.”

It shows the endless possibilities of adolescence.

Reel Talk gives Sing Street 4 reels