One of my favorite films at this year’s Sundance Film Festival was writer-director John Carney’s (Once) Sing Street. The film takes place in the 1980s in Dublin and is a coming of age dramedy about a teenager (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) forced to go to Catholic school when his bickering parents can no longer afford to send him to private school. As he meets his classmates and tries to fit in, he meets the beautiful Raphina (Lucy Boynton) across the street from his school. Eager to impress the girl, he asks if she’d like to star in a video for his band and when she says yes, he scrambles to put together a group with some of his classmates. Not knowing that much about music, he enlists the help of his wizened, wise-ass brother Brendan (Jack Reynor), who schools him about music and girls. Loaded with catchy songs and 80s pop classics, Sing Street is the type of film that has you smiling as you watch and as you leave the theater you’ll want to own the soundtrack. For more read Matt’s review or watch the trailer.

Shortly after the world premiere I landed an extended video interview with Jack Reynor (who is fantastic in the film). He talked about getting to premiere Sing Street at Sundance, shaping his character, his expectations versus the finished film, upcoming projects like Ben Wheatley’s Free Fire and Cédric Jimenez’s HHHH, the balance between taking work and finding good scripts, and so much more. Check out what he had to say below.

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Jack Reynor:

• 00:15 - What it was like watching the movie with an audience?
• 1:17 - Examining the plot.

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  2:40 - Shaping the character.
• 4:09 - Disappointed not getting to sing?
• 4:28 - The production of 'an Irish film'.
• 5:07 - Expectations vs. finished film.
• 6:36 - Character's attitude- formed by script, actor, or director?
• 7:42 - Upcoming projects.
• 8:59 - The R rating for Ben Wheatley’s Free Fire - "One of the definitive gun-fight movies"
• 9:24 – Talks about Cédric Jimenez’s HHHH which also stars Jack O'Connell and Jason Clarke.
• 11:16 - What it's like to watch acting-friends in movies?
• 12:20 - Memorable moments from filming.
• 13:04 - How acting routine has been refined over his career.
• 13:51 - Changes experienced after being part of the billion dollar-making Transformers: Age of Extinction.
• 14:58 - Projects in 2016, including an "exciting shortlist" and possible franchise?
• 15:58 - The balance between taking work and finding good scripts.
• 17:02 - Matt Damon is a cool guy - Plus, taking time off and not compromising.