Sing

No matter what an adult thinks of a film like “Sing”, it’s going to do well because of what it is.  It’s a not half bad movie made for kids that has cute and amusing animals singing their hearts out.  It’s colorful and silly and this, as we all know, is a combination that spells success.  There have been many animated films released in 2016 that have done incredibly well but this one is lucky it’s being released right before Christmas or it might not have done quite as well; it’s probably at the bottom of the list of the animated films this year.  However, that said, if you’re looking for frivolous, it’s still eager and zippy. 

“Sing” has a few problems with being a tad over the top too often which will annoy the parents of the kids sitting in the audience but the songs will ultimately win them back. The tunes played throughout the film are great and the chosen numbers sung by characters during the auditions near the beginning of the film are good and the way their presented are very creative.  I wish they could have gone on longer, as a matter of fact. 

The auditions I’m talking about are given because a koala bear, Buster Moon (McConaughey), the main character, needs money to keep his theatre afloat.  He loves the theatre and isn’t about to lose his.  Someone suggests to him that a singing competition is a good idea and he agrees that it should get his theatre back in good working order.  He decides to give a thousand dollar prize to the winner of the competition believing this will bring the customers back once again to his beat up and neglected old theatre.  As things do, something goes wrong when Miss Crawly, (played by Jennings who also wrote the film), Buster’s ancient and possible old age home bound secretary, is put in charge of the flyers.  She accidentally releases the flyers with a much, much larger sum promised as the prize.  That’s a mess.  Everyone in the city who can or thinks they can sing flocks to have a chance at being on stage in front of a large audience and winning the prize money. 

Here is where you meet the main characters and a few you wish you’d see again but, sadly, will not.  Some of the singers chosen are a gorilla named Johnny (Egerton), who has a gangster as a father but wants a crime free life and a mouse named Mike played by Seth McFarlane, who gets a chance to really show off his pipes, worth the price of admission alone.  Mike loves jazz and poker and is a bit squirrly for kids, to be honest.  There’s also an elephant named Meena (Kelly) who could be a heavyweight in the competition, as beautiful and powerful her voice is, but is paralyzed with stage fright; and a pig named Rosita (Witherspoon) who is burdened with a husband who doesn’t know she’s alive any more and twenty-five piglets to take care of but doesn’t see how they can stop her dreams from being fulfilled.  I’m sure you can see where this is headed.  Conquer your fears and quell any voice on the inside or outside that tries to crush the ambition and desire within you. 

If you like animated family films, I’d recommend taking the family to see this at a matinee.  The kids will have a good time, even if the messages get lost.  It does have dazzle at its core.  With the combination of fast action, cute animals and songs, especially with such talented stars singing them, the mix works.  However, as I stated at the beginning, you’ll take the kids and they’ll be happy you did but I’m of the opinion that Santa won’t be putting it under the tree so they can add it to their home DVD collection because it’s a one time watch at best.