The Irish Film SING STREET-A Sweet Coming of Age with a Great Beat

Did you ever wonder what it was like when Paul & John 1st met and started writing songs together?  Dir/screenwriter John Carney's (b. Ireland 1972 ,"Once") film SING STREET plays up the scenario of neighboring kids with kind spirits, surprising talents who miraculously find one another.  I adored this coming age movie.  Set in Ireland in 1985, amidst a turbulent, economic downfall with devastating repercussions.  Most were driven to  despair while others dared to risk ridicule & dreamed big.  This charming movie of a motley crew of teenage boys, led by Conor, form a band of brothers, a.k.a. Sing Street; their band name.  A happenstance, serendipitous meshing of boys who end up making beautiful music together.  Raphina is the gorgeous girl Conor is smitten & devises the ruse of rockgroup in order to impress.  Rafina is slowly won over by Conor's endearing infatuation & surprising talent.  The two actors radiate real warmth together.  Conor is also paired with a song writing partner who can play any/all instruments.  Together their fortuitious friendship & collaboration bestows Paul & John.   The movie has its cruelty as well as its warmth; the school bully, the vile priest and the painful disintigration of a marriage.  Conor though is irrepressible.  We watch him grow to his own beat.  The cast of  characters in the film are all fascinating, adding to the composition.  In particular, Conor's older, weary  brother whose disillusions don't deter from keeping Conor on an even keel.  I cannot laud this delightful film loud enough.  Also, I can't refrain from noting the similarities between Conor, his co-writer & the priest with Amer actors:  Alden Ehrenreich, Paul Dano & Michael Keaton.  This seems like a movie Richard Linklater would've made had he grown up in Ireland (minus the overblown ending.)