No worries can't be solved by music

There are no worries in life that music can't solve. If there are, then form a band to engage in music by yourself.

This is the principle of life taught to us by director John Carney, from "Once" filmed in 2007 to "Begin Again" in 2013, and then to this one this year "The Love Song of First Love" (Sing Street), music is always the most important element in John Carney's movies, and it is also the catalyst for the heroes and heroines in the movie to change themselves and change their lives.


Audiences who have watched these three films will be able to easily get the similarities and commonalities among them. In these three films of John Carney, the beginning of the story is always the protagonists or the difficulties of life. Or worry about the stagnation of dreams, each with its own trivial troubles, and then accidentally meet like-minded people, form a band together, and finally gain some strength through music to open a new chapter in life. "Once" is like this, "Song Changes Life" is like this, and "The Love Song of First Love" is still the same.

So many critics like to take these three films together and regard them as John Carney's "Music Saves the World" trilogy. It’s very interesting to say that in John Carney’s movie world, music is just so charming, it has magical powers, and it’s also very beautiful.

The reason why John Carney would shoot three films with music as the biggest element in a row is inseparable from his early experience. From 1991 to 1993, John Carney was once a member of the rock band "The Frames". Bass player. While in the band, John not only participated in performances, but also had the responsibilities of recording and filming music videos for the band, which laid the foundation for his role as a director in the future. (In fact, some of the story settings in "The Love Song of First Love" are similar to John Carney's personal experience)


Counting from John Carney’s first personal feature film at the end of 1996, John has made many movies in the past two decades, but what really made him famous is also the best evaluation in his personal director career. The film is exactly this trilogy of "Music Saves the World".

As an Irishman, John Carney’s movie backgrounds are mostly based in Ireland. The movies "Once" and "The Love Song of First Love" are both stories that took place in Dublin, the capital of Ireland. However, from the translation of the title "I meet you in New York, starting again" in mainland China, it can be seen that the movie "Song Changes Life" is an exception. Compared with the other two films, both the popularity and the production itself have improved. Because this is a film filmed by the director in the United States, the actors used are all big actors and singers, including Keira Knightley, "Hulk" Mark Ruflow, and the popular band "Magic Red" lead singer Adam Levine.

Personally, I like this film very much. The movie tells the story of a guitar girl who changes her life through music. Keira Knightley is this girl. Apart from being upset, she meets the same down and down music producer Mark Ruflow, and then forms a band together. Because of the lack of funds or resources, a group of them went to the roadside to record a song on the rooftop, and finally went online to the Internet. They were heard by more people, and they were seen by more people.

In June last year, 21 months after the film premiere, "Songs Changed Life" was released in the mainland. I clearly remember that day, it was a Saturday, and it was raining lightly in Shanghai, and I went to Changtai Plaza to watch this film with an umbrella. After reading it, I was in a great mood and even wanted to get caught in the rain. Because these kinds of films that use music to construct the entire story are so happy for me. After I got home, I couldn’t wait to turn on the music player and listen to the original soundtrack of the movie. After listening to it for a full week, the supporting actor "lost stars" I still listen to it several times from time to time.



Compared to John Carney's other films, "Song Changes Life" is a film that is more modern, dreamy and "American Dream".

In fact, even though "Song Changes Life" compared to the director's other films, it not only made him some money, but at the same time, the film also received unanimous recognition from word of mouth. But John Carney was not very satisfied. When talking about the film and the performance of the heroine Keira Knightley, John Carney was greatly disappointed, and even the words used in his tone were very derogatory. When promoting "The Love Song of First Love" this year, the director even bluntly stated that it was not a pleasure to cooperate with Keira Knightley, saying that she was insincere in her performance and had no acting skills like a supermodel. It was precisely because of some restrictions or difficulties in filming in the United States that I decided to return to Ireland and filmed the new film "The Love Song of First Love".


Obviously, director John Carney must have his reason to return to Ireland to film. Compared to "Song Changes Life", I personally like this new film "The Love Song of First Love" better than that of New York. In "Song Changes Life", the "overhead" state, Dublin in the 60s and 70s in "The Love Song of First Love" appears more real and chronological.

After all, this is the place where the director grew up, and there are more hometown feelings. Just like Jay Chou filming the director’s debut "The Secret that Cannot Be Said", he would set the filming location of the school scene in his alma mater Tamkang Middle School. The school in which the story of "The First Love Song" takes place-Synge Street Christian Brothers School (Synge Street Christian Brothers School) is exactly the alma mater of director John Carney.



The film tells the story of the personal growth of a 14-year-old boy, Conor. At the beginning of the film, the camera is aimed at the family meeting of the Conor family. Because of life constraints, Conor was transferred to a new school, which is At the Christian Brothers School on Singh Street mentioned above, the male protagonist appeared cowardly and fearful at first, and was bullied by his classmates.

What can be clearly felt is that Connor’s life is full of troubles. There is no love between his parents. His mother has a new love outside, and often quarrels with his father. In school, Connor must also face Bullying and suppression by classmates and teachers.


Before meeting the heroine Laphena (Laphena), Connor's life was nothing special. But when the beautiful Rafina appeared in front of him, in order to strike up a conversation and attract attention, Connor claimed that he had a band and asked the girl to take a video.

After the cheating was successful, Connor began to find someone to form a band. Even though he had no experience and didn’t know anyone at school, the band quickly formed. The name was (Sing Street) Sing Street, which is exactly what the movie is about. English title.


The movie began the main storytelling story. Around the growth of Sing Street, the male protagonist Connor will also grow up. He experienced the pain and sweetness of his first love, and turned enemies into friends with his classmates who bullied him, and with himself over and over again. During the rehearsal and singing of the band members, with the help of his brother Brendan, he gradually established and confirmed his musical dream.

Like all movies that tell stories about the growth of teenagers, the final appearance of the male protagonist Connor in the film has been greatly changed, and it can even be said to be completely reborn. The live performance of a school dance before the end of the film, although there are also some offstage. People kept booing, and the mean teacher kept stopping, but Connor still sang three songs including the slow song "To Find You" written to Rafina according to his inner thoughts. He expressed himself in the songs Love, express your anger, and express your love. He excitedly shouted over and over again on the stage: Please remember us, we are from Sing Street in Dublin.

The last scene of the movie is full of symbolism, even agitated and not like reality. After the performance, Connor ran with Rafina’s hand and returned home, begging his brother Brendan to send them to the ferry immediately, and they finally opened. With the speedboat left by my grandfather, he desperately headed to the direction of England. Despite the heavy rain and the waves on the sea, the two of them laughed more calmly and joyously than ever.


When the camera turned around, it was a more excited older brother, as if his brother's departure was a manifestation of overcoming a certain kind of hardship in life, allowing him to regain the passion of the year. In fact, compared to the protagonist Connor, the older brother Brendan is even more moving. He always plays a role of a "mentor" next to his younger brother, telling him what kind of music to listen to, how to confess to the girl, and what to do. Be a creator rather than a follower. In many places in the movie, many of his brother’s words and deeds are directly imitated by his brother. To a certain extent, it was because of the guidance and influence of his brother Brendan that his brother Connor found his way out.

You will obviously feel that his brother Brendan was also a man with passionate ideals. He also loves music, and even more. But as the eldest son, he may bear more of the shadow of a failed marriage between his parents. He chose to use bohemian to cover up his troubles and distress in life, and his lost ideals. In a scene in the movie, Brendan roared to his brother: I used to be a jet engine.


This is my favorite movie since I watched it recently, not only because this story can move me, but also the story of youth and passion can always be inspiring.

The reason why I like this movie is that it is a very comfortable movie after watching it. His rhythm, his shots, and the young and confident actors are all pleasing to people. But the more important reason is that his music is so nice.

Just like John Carney's "Once", "Songs Changed Life", and the Coen brothers' "Drunk Country Folk Songs", which I like very much, watching "The Love Song of First Love", what you feel is a beautiful thing. Nothing? How does courage or love come from nothing? How did the people in the story get out of the mud in life? And what role music plays in it, you can easily feel the charm of music and the magic of music to people.

There is a line in "Song Changes Life", Mark Ruflow said to Keira Knightley: Why do I like music? It is because the concert makes the most common scene in life suddenly "shiny".


Just like John Carney's "Music Saves the World" trilogy, perhaps we can't say that music makes movies, but music is indeed the most fascinating and luminous part of these movies.

Maybe we can say this: There is no worry or loneliness because watching movies and listening to music cannot be dismissed. If so, then watch/listen to a music movie like "The Love Song of First Love".

The original text comes from my personal public account: movie-s
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