Sing

It was written and directed by Garth Jennings, co-directed by Christophe Lourdelet, and produced by Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy.

Set in a world inhabited by anthropomorphic animals, the film focuses on a struggling theater owner who stages a singing competition in an effort to prevent his theater from entering foreclosure, as well as how the competition interferes with the personal lives of its contestants.

The film stars the ensemble voices of Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C.

Reilly, Tori Kelly, Taron Egerton, Nick Kroll, Beck Bennett, Jay Pharoah, Leslie Jones, Laraine Newman, Peter Serafinowicz, Nick Offerman, Rhea Perlman, and Jennifer Saunders.

The film features more than 60 songs from famous artists, mostly performed diegetically. It also has an original song by Stevie Wonder and Ariana Grande called “Faith”, which was nominated for a Golden Globe.

Aside from these songs, Joby Talbot composed the film’s score. Sing first screened during the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2016, followed by its premiere at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on December 3.

It was then theatrically released in the United States on December 21. It received generally positive reviews and grossed $634 million worldwide. A sequel, Sing 2, was released on December 22, 2021.

He decides to hold a singing competition with a prize of $1,000, but a typo made by his elderly assistant iguana Miss Crawly adds two extra zeros to the prize money.

The misprinted flyers are blown out of the window by a fan before they can be proofread, and float across the city. Crowds of animals gather to audition, and Buster selects his contestants.

Among them are housewife and mother of 25 piglets Rosita; punk-rock porcupine Ash; teenage gorilla Johnny, son of a criminal gang leader named Big Daddy; street musician mouse Mike; and an exuberant dancing pig named Gunter.

Teenage elephant Meena fails her audition due to stage fright, Ash’s self-absorbed boyfriend and co-auditionee Lance is upset to be dismissed from the contest, and Rosita is paired with Gunter for a dance routine.

After Buster discovers the flyers advertise a prize of $100,000, he joins his friend sheep Eddie on a visit to Eddie’s wealthy grandmother, former theater superstar Nana Noodleman.

Nana is reluctant to sponsor the prize money, but agrees to attend a private preview of the show before making a decision. Pressured by her grandfather, Meena attempts to request a second audition, but settles for being Buster’s stagehand instead.

After some acts withdraw from the competition, Meena is offered a spot in the show, but again struggles to overcome her fear. Rosita flounders in her dance routine with Gunter, believing her motherly duties have caused her to lose her passion.

Mike, assuming he will win the competition, takes out a massive loan from the bank to buy a flashy car and swindles a group of bears in a card game.

Lance cheats on Ash, causing her to break up with him, and later to break down crying during a rehearsal. Johnny, forced by Big Daddy to partake in a heist as a getaway driver, sneaks away to the rehearsal.

Traffic prevents Johnny from returning to the heist in time, resulting in the arrest and incarceration of Big Daddy and his gang, straining their relationship.

After an accident causes stage lights to fall and break, Buster has the stage rebuilt as a tank so luminescent squids can be used as lights.

Desperate, Johnny attempts to steal the prize money for his father’s bail, but when he sees a note on Buster’s desk praising his talents, Johnny resolves to focus on his musical career instead.

Meanwhile, Rosita regains her passion for dancing while grocery shopping, and Ash composes a song that Buster likes. On the day of the preview for Nana, the bears Mike had cheated locate him, and demand their money back.

Mike directs them to Buster; the bears break open the prize chest, but it is nowhere near $100,000. Shocked by the lack of money, the rest of the contestants question Buster, and the squid tank shatters under everyone’s weight.

The flooded theater implodes and Judith repossesses the lot, while a disheartened Buster takes up residence with Eddie and supports himself by washing cars.

Meena goes to the rubble of the theater and sings out loud to music on her headphones, inspiring Buster to stage an outdoor show.

Despite attempts from Judith to halt the show, it takes place on the lot of the former theater with Meena’s and Rosita’s families in attendance. More animals are drawn into the audience when the show is broadcast live on the local news.

Rosita’s husband Norman is roused by his wife’s talent, Big Daddy breaks out of prison and travels to the lot to reconcile with Johnny and apologize, Lance is impressed by Ash’s original rock song “Set It All Free,” the bears find Mike and chase him away, and Meena overcomes her stage fright and gives an enthusiastic performance.

The show is a success and impresses Nana, who was in the audience. She purchases the lot, and the theater is rebuilt and reopened.