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John Carney Sings Another Lovely Tune

No one knows the power of music more than writer-director John Carney. He gets the passion, the romance and the universal connectivity of music. "Sing Street" is his latest, which earned raves earlier this year at Sundance, and the film's music is once again the driving force of the narrative.

I'm the rare person who didn't absolutely fall for Carney's "Once" and, conversely, I am the rare person who was bowled over by the charm of his "Begin Again". Carney once again won me over with "Sing Street", which is so infectiously charming and good-spirited that almost nothing else matters about the film. How often can you go to a movie and have a smile on your face from start to finish? It's far too rare of a thing.

In an assured acting debut, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo stars as Conor, a 14-year-old in Dublin, who doesn't have the best home life. His parents are constantly fighting and on the brink of separation. His family is in financial trouble, which causes Conor to have to attend a new school to save on tuition. He is bullied by fellow students and a strict priest. Conor can't seem to find peace at home or school, never knowing where to go.

Conor manages to make a friend, Darren (Ben Carolan), at his new school and one day when they are outside talking, Conor spots a beautiful girl across the street. He summons the courage to speak to her. Her name is Raphina (Lucy Boynton), who is a year older than Conor and a model. Hoping to woo her, Conor tells Raphina he's in a band and that she should star in their music video. There are a few problems with this plan; Conor isn't in a band, isn't musically inclined and has no means of shooting a video.

Without wasting much time, and thanks to some advice from his older brother, Brenden (Jack Reynor), Conor and Daren cobble together a band and start writing and recording music. Music begins to become top priority for Conor and his band - named Sing Street - and school, along with everything else in the outside world, becomes second-fiddle.

Things happen a little too easily for Conor and his friends throughout "Sing Street." Once their band forms, they become good and start getting minor gigs. Carney's screenplay may lack an edge most crave but it will be hard to not care about these characters. With his family life in shambles, Conor gets a chance to escape through music and that's the important message of "Sing Street."

Featuring a young cast of mostly unknowns, everyone is very good and believable in the film. Walsh-Peelo strikes the right chord of teeanage angst and, later, unshakeable confidence. He's a real find and he and Boynton have pitch-perfect chemistry together. Walsh-Peelo and Reynor (possibly your next Han Solo) have several moving scenes as brothers.

The film's soundtrack is one of the main stars of the film. Featuring familiar 80s songs and a few originals, "Sing Street" will have you tapping your feet. This is a film about the love of music and the careful assembled soundtrack proves it.

"Sing Street" is part coming-of-age tale, part tale of brotherhood. It's also the most romantic film of the year, so far, and one of the most romantic films I've seen in some time. Carney has won me over with his last two films. It looks like it's time for me to revisit "Once", the film that started it all.