Set in Gloucester, Massachusetts, the film is about a family of fishermen with a teenage girl being the only person in this family of four being the only person that isn’t deaf as she joins the school choir where her choir master is convinced that she has a chance to make it as a singer. It is a film with a simple premise as this young woman is torn between having to help her family who decide to start their own business but also go after her own dreams. Sian Heder’s screenplay is largely straightforward in its narrative as it play into the life of Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones) who the youngest of two in a family of four that include her parents in Frank and Jackie (Troy Kotsur and Marlee Matlin, respectively) and her older brother Leo (Daniel Durant). Ruby does a lot of interpreting for her family when it comes to business or health reasons though Leo wants to be more involving in handling the business.
Yet, the family is dealing with new sanctions that prevent them and other fishermen from making ends meet prompting the family to go on their own but also have to deal with authorities and such as their deafness makes them a liability. There is also this air of conflict where Ruby joins the school choir where its choirmaster Bernardo “Mr. V.” Villalobos (Eugenio Derbez) notices that Ruby does have the talent as he trains her for an audition to go to Berklee College of Music in Boston. Even as she begins a relationship with classmate Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) who is also trying to go to Berklee as it would take up her time from her duties with her family where they depend on her to communicate with those who don’t know how to do American Sign Language. Still, the family has to contend with the fact that they can’t depend on her all the time as Leo has managed to know a lot while is embarking on a relationship with Ruby’s friend Gertie (Amy Forsyth).
Heder’s direction is largely straightforward as it is shot on location in Gloucester, Massachusetts as it is a fishing town with many of the locals playing real people in the film. While there are some wide shots to get a scope of the location including a few shots in Boston for the film’s third act, much of Heder’s direction uses a lot of close-ups and medium shots. Notably in the latter with some medium-wide shots to a look into where the family eats and then move into a more straightforward medium shot as they all have a conversation though American Sign Language as Heder brought in Alexandria Wailes and Anne Tomasetti to help play into the usage of American Sign Language. Heder’s close-ups also play into how Ruby is so desperate is trying to communicate with her family but also feel burdened by them as they need her to handle things though there’s a moment in the third act with Leo as she becomes aware that he is trying to the one to step up and knows they can get someone else to talk for them. It does add to the drama as well as Ruby’s own desire to wanting to become a singer through Mr. V’s help as he is quite stern but is also understanding of her situation.
Heder also play into the perspective of how Frank, Jackie, and Leo see things even though they couldn’t hear yet Frank likes gangsta rap music because he can feel the vibrations of it. Their deafness may not have them be part of this community of fishermen yet they accept him when he’s against these newfound sanctions as it is a slow process for them to be accepted as well as learn how to communicate with them. The film’s third act is about Ruby’s desire to wanting to go to Berklee as her family are reluctant with Jackie admitting her own selfishness about Ruby as well as her own faults relating to her own relationship with her mother. The third act also play into a family taking the next step not just for themselves but also for Ruby in her need to find herself but with her family’s support. Overall, Heder crafts a touching and engaging film about a deaf family and their non-deaf daughter who is striving to find her own voice.
Cinematographer Paula Huidobro does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely straightforward in capturing the vibrant daytime exterior scenes of the sea along with some low-key lighting for some of the interior/exterior scenes at night. Editor Geraud Brisson does nice work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with a few montages to play into the evolution of the story. Production designer Diane Lederman, with set decorators Vanessa Knoll and Amy Morrison plus art directors Paul Richards and Jeremy Woolsey, does brilliant work with the look of the house that the Rossi family live in as well as the fishing ports where fishermen sell their fishes. Costume designer Brenda Abbandandolo does fantastic work with the costumes as it is largely casual with the exception of a red dress that Ruby wears for her school performance.
Visual effects supervisor Francois Trudel does terrific work with the film’s visual effects as it is largely bits of set dressing for a few exterior scenes. Sound designer Paul Lucien and sound editor Martin Pinsonnault do amazing work with the sound in not just the way sound is presented on a natural location but also the usage of no sound to get a perspective of Frank and Jackie are seeing. The film’s music by Marius de Vries is wonderful for its low-key piano-based score with elements of orchestral touches while a lot of the music performed on the film is all presented on location with performances of songs by David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, and Kiki Dee while music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas creates a soundtrack that features an array of music including the Clash, the Shaggs, Etta James, Black Oshin, Soul Exotics, Horslip, and Dave Chafin.
The casting by Deborah Aquila, Tricia Wood, and Lisa Zagoria is superb as it feature notable small roles and appearances from Rebecca Gibel as a government official monitoring what Leo and Frank does, John Fiore as a foreman at a fishing factory, Lonnie Farmer and Kevin Chapman as a couple of fishermen who aren’t friendly with Frank at first until he rebels over the sanctions, and Molly Beth Thomas a mean girl that Ruby doesn’t like. Amy Forsyth is fantastic as Ruby’s friend Gertie who begins a relationship with Leo despite not knowing sign language as she also helps the family out. Ferdia Walsh-Peelo is superb as Ruby and Gertie’s classmate Miles as an aspiring musician whom Ruby has a crush on as he is eager to go to Berklee as he gets to know Ruby and her family. Eugenio Derbez is excellent as Mr. V as the school’s choir teacher who is this passionate and exuberant figure that sees something in Ruby but also implores her to take her love of singing seriously as there’s elements of humor in Derbez’s performance but also a lot of heart from a man who sees someone that has a gift.
Daniel Durant is fantastic as Ruby’s older deaf brother Leo as a young fisherman who loves to fish but wants to do more whether it is to socialize or handle the business as he is also aware of Ruby’s passion and feels like he’s holding Ruby back. Marlee Matlin is amazing as Ruby’s mother Jackie as a housewife who prefers to drink wine and have sex with her husband while is reluctant to socialize with those who aren’t deaf where she does realize her own faults in not opening herself up to others. Troy Kotsur is incredible as Ruby’s father Frank as a fisherman who owns a fishing boat as it is all he knows but is also eccentric as he doesn’t try to be a bother to anyone until sanctions emerge where his defiance gains him allies while he also contends with Ruby’s own desires as he is conflicted in letting her reach her own dreams but also needing her for his own business ventures. Finally, there’s Emilia Jones in a brilliant performance as Ruby Rossi as the sole member of her family that isn’t deaf as she often deals with having an odd family but also being overwhelmed in helping her family while realizing she has a voice and wants to use to reach her own dreams as it is a somber and lively performance from Jones.
CODA is a sensational film from Sian Heder that feature great performances from its main ensemble cast including Emilia Jones and Troy Kotsur. Along with its naturalistic images, touching music soundtrack, and an engaging coming-of-age story that explores an unusual family dynamic. It is a film that is sort of a conventional family comedy-drama but it also has a lot of heart as well as being unconventional in telling the story of a family that largely consists of deaf people just trying to live their own lives and become part of a bigger community. In the end, CODA is a phenomenal film from Sian Heder.
© thevoid99 2022
Directed by John Carney and screenplay by Carney from a story by Carney and Simon Carmody, Sing Street is the story of a teenage boy who falls in love with a girl who is a few years older than her as he decides to impress by forming a band. The film is a coming-of-age film set in 1980s Dublin at a time when the indie music scene is thriving as a boy tries to win the heart of a girl through music. Starring Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Lucy Boynton, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Jack Reynor, Kelly Thornton, and Aiden Gillen. Sing Street is a charming and entertaining film from John Carney.
Set in 1985 Dublin, the film follows a 15-year old boy who is transferred to a new school where he meets a 16-year old girl and falls for her by claiming he’s in a band which he would form to impress her. The film definitely play into a period in time where so much is happening with popular music in the 1980s as this young kid is trying to find his place in the world as he’s encouraged by his older brother to make music to win over this girl as well as find an outlet in this stifling environment through the school he’s forced to attend as well as dealing with his parents who are on the verge of splitting up. John Carney’s screenplay doesn’t just explore the situation that the protagonist Conor Lawlor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) is in as it relates to financial issues within the family that forces him to attends a public school and deal with some of the way things are as well as his family life which is in disarray as his eldest brother Brendan (Jack Reynor) would introduce him to different kinds of music as well as comment about his own failures and observation about their parents.
When Conor meets this beautiful girl named Raphina (Lucy Boynton), he would lie to her about being in a band as he would meet a fellow student in Darren (Ben Carolan) who would introduce him a talented multi-instrumentalist in Eamon (Mark McKenna). Through Eamon, Conor would learn to write songs as they would get other students to be part of their band and Raphina, who is an aspiring model, would be their ingénue who would appear in their videos. Though Raphina has a boyfriend, she would begin a relationship with Conor as she would be his muse as well as give him a new name in Cosmo. It would play into Conor’s own development as well as revelations about why Brendan hasn’t gone through with his own aspirations into being a musician as he and Conor, along with their sister Ann (Kelly Thornton), are dealing with the growing split from their parents (Aiden Gillen and Maria Doyle Kennedy). The growing turmoil in Conor’s family life as well as his own growing pains would give Conor ideas for songs as he would ultimately get the chance to play these songs to the kids in Dublin.
Carney’s direction is quite straightforward as it does have a few wide shots yet Carney chooses to go for more simplistic compositions with the usage of close-ups and medium shots. Shot on location in Dublin with much of it set in the area near the Synge Street CBS high school, the film does play into this world of the 1980s where there is a clash between the old ways and the new ways in some respects. Especially as Carney makes it aware of Conor’s own alienation as he’s first seen wearing brown shoes as the requirement of the school is to wear black shoes as he gets into some trouble with its headmaster Brother Baxter (Don Wycherley). Carney also uses the 80s as inspiration for some of the visuals such as the music videos Conor and his band known as Sing Street would create as it is amateurish but also quite lively. Especially as there’s a great scene of Conor’s own imagination for a video to express what could’ve been but has to face with the realities of his own life as well as the fact that Raphina isn’t some perfect ingénue. Yet, Carney does make the film show what can be done in the face of adversity which can create great art if that person can express it and not be afraid to fail. Overall, Carney creates an engaging yet exhilarating film about a teenage boy creating music to win over a girl.
Cinematographer Yaron Orbach does excellent work with the film’s cinematography from the natural look of the daytime exteriors to the usage of low-key lights for the scenes at night including the climatic school dance scene. Editors Andrew Marcus and Julian Ulrichs do nice work with the editing as it is largely straightforward in terms of presenting the drama and some of the humor while finding the right rhythms for the film’s musical moments. Production designer Alan Macdonald and art director/set decorator Tamara Conboy do fantastic work with the look of the some of the interior of the schools as well as some of the cheap set design for some of the homemade music videos Sing Street would make. Costume designer Tiziana Corvisieri does brilliant work with the look of the costumes from the clothes the band would wear for the videos as well as the stylish clothing of Raphina.
Makeup artist Barbara Conway and hairstylist Sandra Kelly do terrific work with the look of the characters from the makeup the band would wear in the videos as well as Raphina’s unique look as well as the hairstyle of the mid-80s which was big. Visual effects supervisor Paddy Eason does some fine work with the visual effects as it’s mainly some bit of set-dressing including a key aspect of the film’s ending as well as some of the shoddy look of the homemade music videos. Sound editors Niall Brady and Michelle Fingleton do amazing work with the sound in the way the instruments are heard naturally as well as the presentation of music including the way it is mixed to drown out the loud argument Conor’s parents are having in some scenes. Original music by Gary Glarck and John Carney is wonderful for its mixture of folk and post-punk to play into the evolution of the music as it has elements of pop while the original songs they create that include contributions from Glen Hansard and Adam Levine that bring some liveliness and earnestness to those songs while music supervisor Becky Bentham provides a fun soundtrack that feature music from Genesis, A-ha, the Cure, the Clash, Spandau Ballet, the Jam, M, Duran, Hall & Oates, Joe Jackson, and Motorhead.
The casting by Louise Kiely is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Lydia McGuinness as the school’s very liberal art teacher, Ian Kenny as the school bully Barry, Conor Hamilton and Karl Rice in their respective roles as the rhythm section brothers of Larry and Garry, Percy Chamburuka as the African-Irish teen Ngig who is the band’s keyboardist, Kelly Thornton as Conor’s older sister Ann who is dealing with her college education and family struggles, and Don Wycherley in a terrific performance as the school’s headmaster Brother Baxter who watches over Conor as he would try to make the boy’s life hellish. Ben Carolan is superb as Darren as a young student who has the skills to get connections as he is eager to become a manager while Mark McKenna is fantastic as Eamon as a talented musician who would help Conor write some songs as well as encourage him to go into deeper places with the music.
Aiden Gillen and Maria Doyle Kennedy are excellent in their respective roles as Conor’s parents Robert and Penny Lawlor as a couple who are on the rocks with Gillen dealing with the financial trouble he’s put towards his family while Penny would work overtime creating suspicion over why she’s home late. Jack Reynor is brilliant as Conor’s older brother Brendan as a college dropout/stoner who would introduce Conor to all types of music and guide him on what music could do as a way to live through his younger brother and give him the chance that he never got. Lucy Boynton is amazing as Raphina as an aspiring model at the age of 16 with an older boyfriend who is eager to go to London as she becomes Conor’s muse as she also cope with wanting to make it as she also has to deal with some of the realities of the world. Finally, there’s Ferdia Walsh-Peelo in an incredible performance as Conor “Cosmo” Lawlor as a 15-year old kid who is trying to find himself as well as impress this girl where he would eventually find his own voice as well as take the opportunity to make something of himself as it’s very naturalistic and charming performance from Walsh-Peelo.
Sing Street is a sensational film from John Carney. Featuring a great ensemble cast, amazing music, a riveting story, and a colorful look. It’s a film that captures a moment in time where kids try to use music to express themselves with the aid of an older person trying to help them reach that dream. In the end, Sing Street is a remarkable film from John Carney.
John Carney Films: (On the Edge) - Once - (Zonad) – Begin Again
© thevoid99 2017
