Sing

Sing is a 2016 American computer-animated musical comedy film produced by Illumination Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures. It is the first film of the franchise of the same name. It was written and directed by Garth Jennings, co-directed by Christophe Lourdelet (in his feature directorial debut), and produced by Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy. The film stars the ensemble voices of Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C. Reilly, Tori Kelly, Taron Egerton and Nick Kroll. Set in a world inhabited by anthropomorphic animals, the film focuses on a struggling theater owner who holds a singing competition to prevent his theatre from entering foreclosure, as well as how the competition interferes with the personal lives of its contestants.

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. It screened on the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2016, premiered at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on December 3, and was released in the United States on December 21, by Universal Pictures.

Plot

In a city of anthropomorphic animals called Calatonia, koala Buster Moon owns a struggling theater, and is threatened with foreclosure by bank representative Judith. He decides to hold a singing competition with a prize of $1,000, but a typo made by his lizard assistant 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. These include housewife and mother of 25 piglets Rosita; punk-rock porcupine Ash; teenage gorilla Johnny, son of mobster Big Daddy; street musician mouse Mike; a trio of dancing frogs; and opera singer camel Pete. Teenage elephant Meena fails her audition due to stage fright, Ash's self-absorbed boyfriend Lance is dismissed from the contest, and Rosita is paired with an exuberant pig named Gunter for a dance routine. After Buster discovers the flyers advertise a prize of $100,000, he joins his friend Eddie on a visit with Eddie's wealthy grandmother, former singing star 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 tries to ask Buster for another chance, but becomes his stage hand instead. When the frog trio breaks up and Pete is injured, Meena is added as an act. Other problems soon arise; Rosita flounders in her dance routine with Gunter, believing her motherly duties have caused her to lose her passion; Ash discovers Lance cheating on her, throws him out, and later breaks down crying while rehearsing her assigned song; Meena's stage fright prevents her from performing; and Mike, certain the prize money is as good as his, buys a car and swindles a group of bears in a card game. Johnny, forced by Big Daddy to be the getaway driver in a heist, sneaks away to a rehearsal but struggles to focus on his piano playing. Traffic prevents Johnny's return to the heist.

Big Daddy is arrested, straining his relationship with Johnny in the process. In desperation, Johnny attempts to steal the prize money for his father's bail; however, when he sees a note on Buster's desk showing how much Buster appreciates his talents, Johnny resolves to focus on his musical career instead. On the day of the preview, the bears interrupt the show, demanding the money from Mike, who directs them to Buster. The bears open the prize chest, but it is not near $100,000. The glass tank of luminescent squids lighting the stage breaks under the bears' weight, flooding, imploding, and demolishing the theater. Judith repossesses the lot and Buster takes up residence with Eddie. Buster becomes depressed and tries to start over by opening a car wash.

Meena goes to the rubble of the theater and sings a song on her headphones, Buster overhears her and is inspired to stage an outdoor show just for the fun of it, for Meena and Rosita's families. Rosita and Gunter perform their song-and-dance combo, which finally prompts her husband, Norman, to notice her talent. Dozens of more animals are drawn to the theater when the show is broadcast on the news. Johnny's performance greatly impresses his father, who escapes from prison to reconcile with him and apologize. Ash sings her original rock song "Set It All Free," impressing Lance, who was watching her on TV. Mike, who had initially refused to perform for free, is taunted into returning and gives a stunning performance but is found and chased away by the bears.

Meena overcomes her stage fright and delivers a performance which literally brings down the house. The show is a success and impresses Nana, who was in the audience. She buys the lot, and the theater is rebuilt and reopened.

Cast

• Matthew McConaughey as Buster Moon, an optimistic koala who plans to save his theater from closure by holding a singing competition.
• Reese Witherspoon as Rosita, a domestic pig who gave up her teenage music dreams to become a devoted wife of Norman and mother to 25 piglets.
• Seth MacFarlane as Mike, a small white crooning mouse with a big Frank Sinatra-esque voice and an arrogant attitude.
• Scarlett Johansson as Ash, a crested porcupine punk rocker who takes part in an alternative-rock music group with her boyfriend Lance until she rejects him for cheating on her with another crested porcupine.
• John C. Reilly as Eddie Noodleman, a Suffolk sheep and Buster's partner who doubts the future of the theater.
• Tori Kelly as Meena, a teenage elephant with an exquisite voice and severe stage fright.
• Taron Egerton as Johnny, a Cockney-accented mountain gorilla who wants to sing, but his father wants him to follow his criminal footsteps.
• Nick Kroll as Gunter, a domestic pig and Rosita's German-accented, optimistic and bubbly dance partner.
• Nick Offerman as Norman, a domestic pig and Rosita's husband.
• Garth Jennings as Karen Crawly, an elderly green iguana who is Buster's assistant and offers Johnny piano lessons.
• Matt Stone as Bill
• Peter Serafinowicz as Big Daddy, Johnny's gang leader father who wants him to follow in his business of crime.
• Beck Bennett as Lance, a crested porcupine and Ash's rejected boyfriend.
• Leslie Jones as Meena's mother
• Jay Pharoah as Narrator
• Mel Brooks as Nana's father
• Jennifer Saunders as Nana Noodleman, a Suffolk sheep and Eddie's grandmother who was a former singer in her glory days.
  • Jennifer Hudson as Young Nana Noodleman.
• Rhea Perlman as Judith, a brown Llama from the bank who warns Buster that his theater will be repossessed if he doesn't pay.
• Alan Tudyk as Rhino Cops
• Danielle Busby as Louisiana
• Jack Huston as Ian
• Grey Griffin, April Winchell & Erin Fitzgerald as Bunny Girls
• Alan Oppenheimer as Meena's grandfather
• Rosanne Barr as Meena's Grandmother.
• Brad Morris as a Baboon, whom Mike attacks for not donating more money to his street performances.
• Corey Burton as Bob, a news reporter dog who documents Buster's singing competition.
• Jim Cummings as The bears
• Terry Crews as Joel
• Chloe Grace Moretz as Herself
• Demetri Martin as Ben
• Billy West as Blake
• Adam Buxton as Stan, a gorilla who is a member of Big Daddy's gang.
• Blayke Busby, Claire Ryann Busby, Oscar Jennings, Leo Jennings, Caspar Jennings, and Asa Jennings as Rosita & Norman's children.

Additional voices

• Carlos Alazraqui
• Wes Anderson - Daniel
• David Arnott
• Mona Marshall
• Keith Ferguson
• Bob Bergen
• David Kaye
• Doug Burch
• Britt Burton
• Catherine Cavadini
• John Cygan
• Jan Rabson
• Quinton Flynn
• Chrishopher Ragland
• Roger Craig Smith
• Erin Fitzgerald
• Ashly Burch
• Brock Baker
• Ben Diskin
• Tom Kenny
• Pat Fraley
• Cam Clarke
• Fred Tatasciore
• John Kassir
• Townsend Coleman
• Rob Paulsen
• Rodger Bumpass
• Mikey Kelley
• Abby Craden
• John DeMita
• Marisa De Silva
• Willow Geer
• Ian James Corlett
• Tara Sands
• Jeff Bennett
• Troy Baker
• Corey Burton
• Jess Harnell
• Barbara Harris
• Trevor Devall
• Jessica Rau
• Chris Renaud - Kip Casey
• Jessica Rotter
• Tara Strong - Becky, Nancy
• Andrew Walton
• Edgar Wright - Goat

Other works

In winter 2021 the sequel Sing 2 has released.