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Parents' Guide to

Sing Street

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Brilliant (if edgy) musical drama celebrates creativity.

Movie PG-13 2016 106 minutes
Sing Street Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 6 parent reviews

Pizza G.
Pizza G. Adult
June 3, 2017
age 12+

Brilliant feel-good musical drama has excellent characters, great soundtrack

Sing Street is thoughtful, uplifting, and uniquely poignant, with excellent role models (though teenagers smoke), wonderful characters, a superb soundtrack and one rollercoaster ride of a story. For young teenagers--especially those interested in music--this is an excellent choice. There is, however, slightly more swearing than in your average PG-13 movie ("s--t," "f----t," a use of "f--k") plus mild innuendos (discussion of an affair; a woman takes out what appears to a vibrator but she isn't seen actually using it). Some scenes depict characters exhibiting racism and homophobia that's surprising albeit accurate for the time period. Despite some iffy content, it'll resonate perfectly with a teenage audience.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Tiaga Prem S.
Tiaga Prem S. Adult
May 26, 2017
age 12+
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In SING STREET, life as he knows it is about to change for Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), a 15-year-old Irish teen living in 1980s Dublin with a stoner older brother, Brendan (Jack Reynor), a studious sister, and parents who can no longer contain their disdain for each other. The economy is in dire straits, and neither Mom nor Dad has a job that can sustain the family's upper-middle class lifestyle. So Conor is transferred to a rough-and-tumble school run by the Christian Brothers, where a walk through the courtyard can mean a punch to the head (among many other physical, visual, and verbal assaults) and where there's a foreboding sense of end-of-the-road. Thank heavens for music, to which Conor escapes regularly with his guitar and songs -- aided in part by Brendan, who has dropped out of school and has no idea what to do next besides inspire his younger sibling to dream bigger and do better. When Conor meets Raphina (Lucy Boynton) -- a girl a year older than he his (though she seems much more) who declares she's a model -- Conor decides to form a band and make a music video so she can be in it. Meeting kindred musical spirits sends Conor off on a journey he hadn't anticipated but is surely the right road for him.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6 ):
Kids say (7 ):

Few films are truly perfect, but this one comes pretty close. A clear labor of love from John Carney, the filmmaker who brought us Once and Begin Again (two films in which music plays a key role in the protagonists' turnaround), Sing Street is a coming-of-age film that doesn't stick to the usual cliches but instead taps into a teen's genuine yearning for experience, wisdom, and transcendence. And it does so while making significant observations about marriage, religious dogma, education, and the economy -- all institutions on which we rely and which can either fail us or teach us at crucial moments.

Movies that pay homage to other creative endeavors -- in this case, 1980s music -- often come up short because the versions they replicate pale in comparison to the originals. But in this case, as with Carney's other films, the songs are clever, catchy, original, and nostalgic all at once. Bravo!

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Conor's journey in Sing Street -- both musical and emotional. How does music help him grow and change? What role does it play in his life?

  • How is the subject of bullying handled? Is it relatable? What's the best way for teens to respond to bullies?

  • How does the story demonstrate the power of perseverance? Why is that an important character strength?

  • How does the movie handle the subject of failing marriages, especially in how they can affect children? Have you/anyone you know gone through something similar?

  • How is substance use portrayed in the movie? Is it casual? Glamorized?

Movie Details

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