Anyone growing up in mid-1980s New Zealand will undoubtedly remember Ready to Roll, the veritable institution that every Saturday at 6pm beamed the latest and greatest music clips into our homes.
SING STREET
Director: John Carney
Cast: Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Aidan Gillen, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Jack Reynor, Lucy Boynton
Rating: (M)
Three stars (out of five)
RTR was all about the singles chart, and would often feature iconic overseas bands such as Duran Duran, A-ha and Spandau Ballet taking full advantage of the burgeoning music video format to enable their new wave, synthpop sounds to be heard (and more importantly seen) in living rooms across the land.
This rich cultural moment in time is the inspiration behind Irish musical comedy Sing Street, which doesn't feature any dancing leprechauns but does have even more fantastical '80s music video re-enactments to hilarious effect.
Amid problems at home and school, 15-year-old Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) meets Raphina (Lucy Boynton), an aspiring model whom he awkwardly convinces to star in his band's new video.
The problem is he doesn't yet have a band, nor any songs, and so is obliged to quickly assemble a ragtag bunch of like-minded outcasts from his school (the real life Synge Street CBS in Dublin) in order to woo the girl.
For the first hour or so this is a perfect film: funny and amiable, with a great cast and soundtrack, a spot-on period feel, and genuine affection for its characters.
Whether you take to the overdone feel-good elements in the final act is probably down to personal taste, although you could certainly argue that these are consistent with the spirit of the era.
- Jeremy Quinn
