SING (2016)

Summary:

Buster Moon, a perpetually optimistic but financially struggling koala, owns a once-grand theater that has fallen into disrepair. Desperate to save his lifelong dream from foreclosure, he devises a plan to host a singing competition with a grand prize to attract talent and audiences. Due to a hilarious administrative error by his elderly, one-eyed iguana assistant, Miss Crawly, the prize money is mistakenly advertised as $100,000 instead of $1,000, leading to an overwhelming and eclectic turnout for auditions.

The competition quickly brings together a diverse group of animals, each with their own personal struggles and dreams: Rosita, an overworked mother pig with 25 piglets; Mike, an arrogant street-performing mouse with a penchant for jazz and gambling; Ash, a punk rock porcupine struggling to find her voice apart from her dismissive boyfriend; Johnny, a gentle gorilla torn between his passion for singing and his father's criminal gang; and Meena, a shy teenage elephant with an incredible voice but crippling stage fright. As Buster tries to juggle their personalities, the looming threat of the bank, and the escalating prize money, the group faces numerous setbacks, ultimately leading to the destruction of the theater. However, it's through their collective passion and the raw power of their music that they discover true success and the importance of chasing their dreams, leading to an unexpected revival of Buster's theater and their own lives.

Keywords: Sing, 2016, Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton, Tori Kelly, Animation, Comedy, Family, Musical.

Plot:

The story opens introducing Buster Moon, a charming but somewhat naive koala who inherited a once-magnificent theater from his father. However, the theater has fallen on hard times, with dwindling audiences and a mountain of debt. Buster's eternal optimism is constantly at odds with the grim reality of his financial situation, much to the exasperation of his wealthy sheep friend, Eddie Noodleman. With the bank threatening foreclosure, Buster has one last desperate idea: a grand singing competition to revitalize the theater and bring in much-needed funds. He envisions a spectacular show that will draw crowds and save his legacy.

Buster instructs his elderly, one-eyed iguana assistant, Miss Crawly, to print flyers advertising a $1,000 prize. However, due to her poor eyesight and a clumsy mishap, she accidentally adds two extra zeros, making the advertised prize a staggering $100,000. The exorbitant prize money creates a massive buzz, leading to thousands of animals lining up for auditions. The sheer volume and diversity of talent (and lack thereof) is overwhelming, but Buster, with Eddie's reluctant help, manages to select a handful of promising contestants. These include Rosita, an overwhelmed domestic pig who secretly yearns for a life beyond her 25 piglets and demanding husband; Mike, a smooth-talking, arrogant white mouse with a golden voice for jazz but a serious gambling problem and a habit of antagonizing everyone; Ash, a punk rock porcupine whose original songs are dismissed by her boyfriend and bandmate, Lance; Johnny, a sensitive teenage gorilla who loves to sing and play piano but is constantly pressured to join his father's bank robbery gang; and Meena, a shy, overweight teenage elephant with an astonishingly powerful voice but crippling stage fright that prevents her from performing in public.

As rehearsals begin, each contestant grapples with their personal challenges. Rosita is paired with the flamboyant German pig, Gunter, whose energetic dance routines force her to break out of her domestic shell, often sneaking away from her family duties. Mike, confident in his talent, believes the prize money is already his and continues to gamble, racking up debts with a gang of Russian bears. Ash struggles to write her own music, feeling overshadowed by Lance, who eventually leaves her. Johnny finds himself torn between his dreams of a singing career and his loyalty to his father's criminal enterprise, constantly missing rehearsals due to his father's demands. His conflict escalates when he fails to be the getaway driver for a heist, leading to his father and the gang's arrest, and his father disowning him from jail. Meena, despite Buster's encouragement, remains paralyzed by fear, unable to sing in front of an audience, even a small one. Buster, meanwhile, attempts to secure funding by promising the $100,000 prize money to the bank manager, Judith, but she demands the cash upfront. He tries to impress the legendary opera singer and former theater star, Nana Noodleman, Eddie's grandmother, by staging a preview show, hoping she will invest. However, the preview is a disaster due to Meena's stage fright and the overall chaos.

In a desperate attempt to raise the prize money, Buster decides to use the theater's giant glass water tank as a stage prop for Mike's performance, filling it with squid. He also allows Mike to borrow his car to impress Nana Noodleman. However, Mike's gambling debts catch up to him when the Russian bears discover him with Buster's car. They chase him back to the theater during the final preparations for the show. In the ensuing chaos, one of the bears accidentally knocks over the oversized water tank, causing it to crash through the stage and flood the entire theater. The structural integrity of the building is compromised, leading to a catastrophic collapse that destroys the entire theater, leaving Buster heartbroken and penniless. The bank repossesses the land, and Buster, having lost everything, retreats into despair, moving into Eddie's pool house.

The contestants, initially devastated by the loss of the theater and their dreams, go back to their mundane lives. However, Meena, while singing a song on the ruins of the theater, is overheard by Buster, who is deeply moved by her powerful voice. He suggests she perform for him, and as she sings, a small crowd gathers. Inspired, Buster sets up a makeshift stage in the ruined lot, using salvaged equipment, and invites the other contestants to perform for a small, impromptu street show. Rosita and Gunter perform their energetic routine, captivating the audience. Johnny, with his father watching on TV from prison, delivers a heartfelt piano and vocal performance, finally earning his father's pride. Ash, having written her own powerful song, performs with raw emotion, captivating everyone, including Lance, who regrets his past actions. Meena, finally overcoming her stage fright, delivers a stunning rendition of "Hallelujah," bringing tears to many eyes. Even Mike returns, having escaped the bears, to perform his signature jazz number.

The impromptu concert is a massive success, drawing a huge crowd and catching the attention of Nana Noodleman, who watches from a distance. Impressed by the raw talent, passion, and the community's response, Nana buys the land and funds the construction of a brand-new, state-of-the-art theater for Buster. The film concludes with the grand opening of the new theater, where Buster and his friends put on a spectacular show to a sold-out audience, marking the triumphant revival of Buster's dream and the blossoming careers of his talented performers. Each character finds their place and purpose, their dreams realized not by a prize money, but by the sheer joy of performing and the support of their newfound family.

Cast (Lead Roles):

• Matthew McConaughey as Buster Moon
• Reese Witherspoon as Rosita
• Seth MacFarlane as Mike
• Scarlett Johansson as Ash
• John C. Reilly as Eddie Noodleman
• Taron Egerton as Johnny
• Tori Kelly as Meena
• Nick Kroll as Gunter
• Jennifer Saunders as Nana Noodleman
• Garth Jennings as Miss Crawly

Crew:

• Director: Garth Jennings
• Writer: Garth Jennings
• Producer: Chris Meledandri
• Producer: Janet Healy
• Music: Joby Talbot
• Editor: Gregory Perler

Release Info:

• Original Release Date: December 21, 2016 (USA)
• Language: English
• Genre: Animation, Comedy, Family, Musical
• Running Time: 108 minutes
• Accolades: Nominated for two Golden Globe Awards (Best Animated Feature Film, Best Original Song for "Faith").