SING STREET - Never Do Anything By Half

This is not a film review. This is my post to celebrate what an amazing film this is to me and give my personal takeaways from the film.

P.S. there are probably Spoilers!

Sing Street is a coming of age story about a group of kids starting a band and trying to figure out how to make an original sound. It’s a film that shows how you “Never do anything by half” for your art.

Before you read any further, I suggest you take $3.99 out of your next paycheck and rent this amazing film.

"Rock and Roll is a risk. You risk being ridiculed! “

When we pursue an artistic endeavor, we risk being ridiculed. We risk being judged.

Aristotle said “To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, and be nothing.”

If you are afraid of being ridiculed, then don’t be an artist. Start a covers band.

If you do want to be an artist, then know you are putting yourself out there to be judged. However it doesn’t matter what they think as long as you are doing what you love.

"Never do anything by half”

For your art, you can never do anything by half. You have to give it your all. Now I don’t mean this as quit your job and bank on your art to support you. This has nothing to do about finances. This has to do about the art you create. It has to come from you and not what you think people would like. What matters is if you like it. Go all in into making the best art you envision.

“Drive it like you stole it”

It seems like we are living our lives for others. It seems like we are living other people’s lives. But we have to live our own lives for ourselves. We have to make our art for ourselves. We don’t know what the future has in store for us but we have to pursue our dreams. And like the song says

This is your life, you can go anywhere
You gotta grab the wheel and own it, you gotta put the pedal down
And drive it like you stole it