SING
An uplifting musical about courage, family, and sharing your gifts.
Should You Watch It?
SING is a joyful family outing with relatable characters, excellent singing, and more jeopardy than you might expect from an animated musical. Its central message is encouraging: do not let other people's expectations keep you from using your passions and talents.
The film also celebrates family relationships, hard work, perseverance, courage, and ingenuity. Its Christian and spiritual references are positive, and its questionable behavior is punished or not condoned. Younger children may need help processing robbery, stealing, and a few light suggestive lyrics.
For a fun movie night with a positive message, SING is worth the trip.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESBuster Moons, a koala who has always dreamed of being a showman, is trying to save his failing theater. His last idea is a singing competition for animals big and small.
A printing mistake makes contestants believe the prize is $100,000 instead of $1,000. Soon, hopeful singers with very different lives gather to audition. As they prepare, Buster’s theater, dreams, and the contestants’ hopes are all put in jeopardy.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is a highly entertaining family film. SING is funny, exciting, and packed with great singing. The characters are relatable, and the cast brings strong vocal performances, including singer Tori Kelly in her movie debut.
The movie’s many contestants give the story an appealing variety of personalities and struggles. Its combination of humor, music, family themes, and genuine jeopardy makes it especially likely to resonate with audiences during the Christmas season.
The Worldview
SING presents a strong moral worldview centered on hard work, perseverance, using one's passions and gifts, positive family relationships, and overcoming fear. Its central encouragement is that people should not limit themselves to the expectations of others but should share their abilities with the world.
The film also affirms family loyalty and personal integrity. Johnny chooses not to follow his father's criminal path, and his father eventually becomes proud of who Johnny really is. Meena learns not to be overcome by fear. Buster uses ingenuity and hard work to honor his father's sacrifice and fight to keep the theater.
The movie includes a few positive Christian and spiritual references, including a reference to a miracle, a brief appearance by a nun, references to God in songs, and a character singing Leonard Cohen's “Hallelujah.” It also presents a pro-capitalist message through Buster's work to save his theater from repossession by the bank. The film includes stealing, lying, cheating, dysfunctional families, and gambling, but these are not condoned.
The film's celebration of different gifts aligns with Scripture's teaching that God gives people varied abilities for meaningful purposes: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:4).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Strong moral worldview stressing hard work, perseverance, using one’s passions and gifts, positive family relationships and overcoming fear, with a few light Christian references including a reference to a miracle, a brief shot of a nun, references to God in a few songs, and character sings Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” plus a pro-capitalist message as character works hard to save his theater from the bank trying to repossess it; no foul language, brief joke about passing gas; light animated violence, some gangster bears threaten a mouse who cheated them out of money, a theater falls apart in a flood; no sexual content, but porcupine’s relationship with her boyfriend is ambiguous, though it’s implied he cheats on her when she sees him playing music with another girl; no nudity; no alcohol use; no smoking or drug use; and, gambling, cheating, lying, some dysfunctional families, though not condoned.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The characters are encouraged to share their passions and talents. What gifts has God given you, and how could you use them to serve others?
1 Corinthians 12:4–7 · 1 Peter 4:10Johnny chooses not to follow his father’s criminal path. How can family influence us without deciding who we must become?
Ezekiel 18:20 · Romans 12:2Meena has to face her fear of singing in front of others. When have you needed courage to do something good and difficult?
Joshua 1:9 · 2 Timothy 1:7Buster works hard to save the theater and honor his father’s sacrifice. What is the difference between perseverance and refusing to admit when something should change?
Galatians 6:9 · Proverbs 16:3The Final Word
SING offers your family great music, funny characters, positive Christian references, and an encouraging message about courage and using your gifts. Younger children may need guidance with a few questionable elements, but this is a warm, entertaining choice for family movie night. WORTH THE TRIP.
