Dublin, 1985. On the edge of the divorce and in dire financial straights, Conor's parents decide to send him to a public school. It’s a whole new, brutal world for the shy teenager, with different rules and rambunctious pupils. When Conor meets the mysterious Raphina, he tells her he’s the lead singer in a band to impress her. Except that there is no band, so he gathers together other outsiders to make videos and spend time with her ...

Picture gallery

After a side trip to Hollywood for Begin Again, an endearing romance starring Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo, director John Carney is back in his native Dublin, where his career was born thanks to Once. The result is an irresistible, classic story of outsider teenagers who form a group to make their dreams come true and defend themselves against a mean world. It’s a well-known premise, but the film is exceptionally touching thanks to in-depth characters played by good actors (especially Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, the true star of the movie). Unfortunately, the initial charm evaporates a little too quickly as the script takes a conventional course without offering enough energy or imagination to really take off.