The latest from director John Carney (Once, Begin Again), Sing Street takes us back to 1980s Dublin as seen through the eyes of a 14-year-old boy named Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, in his debut role), who is looking for a break from his home life—a life strained by his parents’ crumbling marriage and ongoing financial problems—while also struggling to adjust to his new school where the kids are rough and the teachers are rougher. He finds a glimmer of hope in the mysterious and beautiful Raphina (Lucy Boynton, The Blackcoat’s Daughter), and with the aim of winning her heart, he invites her to star in his band’s debut music video. There’s only one problem: he’s not part of a band…yet. Inspired by writer/director John Carney’s life, Sing Street shows us a world where music has the power to take us away from the turmoil of everyday life and transform us into something greater. It also doesn’t hurt that it features one of the best soundtracks of the year so far.