Sing Street(2016)
dir. John Carney
A Dublin kid starts a band to get the girl.
Where to watch: Subscription: HBO Max ($10.99/mo), Starz via Apple TV ($11.99/mo); rent $3.99 on Amazon, Apple TV, Fandango At Home; buy $9.99 (JustWatch US, checked 2026-11-06). Verify.Letterboxd ↗
Dublin, 1985. Fifteen-year-old Conor is moved to a rough Catholic school when his parents run out of money. To impress a girl he starts a band, writes songs and learns to play from the video clips of Duran Duran, The Cure and The Jam. A coming-of-age film about making things before you know how, with a Christian Brothers school as the backdrop.
Why it’s here
It's a film about a kid who starts a band because he can't do anything else. What's punk is the DIY spirit: terrible first songs, a music video shot with a camera and a friend, a brother who teaches him what to listen to. What's pedagogical is how the band lets him say what he can't at home or at school. Pairs with Please Kill Me, England's Dreaming and The First Rule of Punk. Note: PG-13; bullying, a priest who hits kids, and some family strife; set in 1985 Ireland.
Where This Film Lives
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