By Paul Hall
In the new film Sing, we meet Buster Moon (voice of Matthew McConaughey), a theater-owing koala who is a bit down on his luck. After his latest production fails, putting the theater at risk, he comes up with a great idea: to present a singing competition with a prize of $1,000. But when Buster’s secretary adds a couple of zeroes to the prize money by mistake, the floodgates open and Buster has a big production on his plate — with practically no prize money for the winner.
Every animal in town with a dream shows up to audition for the big prize. The housewife, the criminal and even the shy girl next door are ready to sing for their fame and fortune. And as the auditions make abundantly clear, all types of singers in town have shown up to be a part of the madness.
Some of the standouts include a crooning mouse named Mike (Seth MacFarlane), overtaxed mother Rosita (Reese Witherspoon), gangster gorilla Johnny (Taron Egerton) and a punk-rock porcupine named Ash (Scarlett Johansson). Each of them longs for a moment in the spotlight, and they all wow Buster and make their case to be in his show.
A timid teenage elephant named Meena (Tori Kelly) cannot get through her audition thanks to stage fright, but after some pushing from her family to try for another audition, she winds up joining the production as Buster’s assistant. Could it be that Meena’s majestic voice not only saves the show but saves Buster as well?
This film is a joy to watch as the animals work through their individual numbers. The auditions, with a variety of songs and styles, are reminiscent of the most fun American Idol auditions through the years. I laughed and had a great time with every passing musical moment.
That said, I had a less than satisfying time with moments that deviated from the music. As the story got less musical and more like day-to-day life, the fun seemed to grind to a halt. What started out as a lighthearted romp turned into a sluggish commute as we plodded to the finish. Thankfully, the final sequence helped lift the film once again, as the music was reignited as the star.
The voice talent was really well cast. Their singing ability was spot-on, and each character’s individual personality really shone through the madness. Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough: What I needed was more music, more of the story, and more fun.
I wish I could sing the praises of this film; it would lead to such a clever headline and a fun review. Instead, I can only say that the film is ho-hum. Despite its attempts to be a star, Sing can’t sustain the high notes and just falls flat.
Sing
Rated: PG
Voices of: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane
Directors: Christophe Lourdelet, Garth Jennings
Grade: B-/C+
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