SING

SING is an animated movie from the studio that brought moviegoers DESPICABLE ME and THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS. Set in a society of anthropomorphic animals, the movie’s about a koala bear named Buster Moons (Matthew McConaughey), who tries to put on a singing competition at his failing theater.

Ever since Buster was little, he wanted to be a showman. Eventually, his father saved enough money to buy Buster the theater he always wanted. The problem is that Buster has never had a successful show. Also, his best friend Eddie, a Suffolk sheep whose parents are wealthy, can no longer fund Buster’s endeavors. So, Buster’s on the brink of losing his theater to the bank.

Buster’s last idea to save the theater is to host a singing competition for all animals big and small, but the cash prize will be every dollar Buster has, only about $1,000. When, however, Buster’s old secretary starts to print out flyers for the competition, she accidentally adds an extra two zeroes to the prize amount, making it $100,000, and a gust of wind flies the stack of flyers all over town.

The next day, a giant crowd shows up to audition for Buster, who’s unaware of the fact they all believe the prize is $100,000. Among the auditions that pass are Rosita, a domestic pig with 25 piglets and a husband to support; Mike, an arrogant mouse who plays the saxophone and sings old-time hits; Ash, a punk rock porcupine that was a duo with her boyfriend until she was chosen to move forward as a soloist; Johnny, a gorilla with a secret talent for singing whose father is a bank robber; Gunter, an enthusiastic German-accented pig who likes to dance; and, Meena, an incredibly shy elephant who can’t muster up the courage to sing in front of a crowd.

As the group begins to practice for the competition, it’s revealed Buster doesn’t actually have $100,000 to give. This puts the singing competition, his theater, his dreams, and the dreams of the contestants in jeopardy.

SING is a fun outing for the whole family with great singing, relatable characters and a surprising amount of jeopardy. With veteran actors such as Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon and Scarlett Johansson lending their voices, there are also fantastic newcomers such as singer Tori Kelly making her movie debut as the soulful Meena. SING is bound to resonate with audiences, especially during the Christmas season.

The message in SING is that one shouldn’t limit themself to the expectations of others. Instead, individuals should instead share our passions and talents with the world. Thus, Johnny decides not to follow his father’s path as a criminal, and eventually his father becomes proud of who Johnny really is. Also, Meena learns not to be overcome by fear, and Buster, through ingenuity and hard work, pays tribute to his father’s sacrifice by fighting to keep the theater. SING also contains multiple pro-family elements, as well as some Christian and spiritual references.

A light caution is advised for younger children for some questionable behavior, including robbery (which is punished). Also, Buster sometimes siphons power and water from his neighbors at times, which is stealing. Finally, some songs are sung that, while not explicit, have language like, “look at that butt.”