One of the joys of movie-going is the sense of discovery. This can happen with a film released with little hype and featuring actors who are not well-known.

Such a film is “‘Sing Street,” which is about a group of parochial school friends in 1980s’ Dublin, Ireland, who form a rock band.

The film has a good pedigree. Writer-director John Carney received an original song Oscar for cowriting “Falling Slowly” from the film, “Once” (2007), which was about a couple who wrote songs about their romance, and for which he was also writer-director. Carney was also writer-director for “Begin Again” (2013), which starred Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo, again in a music story setting, this time in New York City.

“Sing Street” has the backdrop of the New Wave scene of the early to mid-1980s. It’s familar territory for Dublin-born Carney, former bassist-vocalist with the Irish band, The Frames (1990 - 93).

In “Sing Street,” Conor “Cosmo” Lalo (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) is bullied and in trouble with the school’s headmaster priest, Brother Baxter (Don Wycherley), for not wearing black shoes to school, Synge Street Christian Brothers School.

At home, Conor’s parents (Aiden Gillen, Maria Doyle Kennedy) are on the verge of breakup as he, his older brother, Brendan (Jack Reynor), who is stuck in an emotional and literal basement, and their younger sister, Ann (Kelly Thornton), look on in bewilderment.

Conor decides to form a band to meet a young woman he sees standing on the steps of a buiding across the street from school. He asks Raphina (Lucy Boynton) to be in a music video for the band. First, he must form the band. His schoolmate, Darren (Ben Carolan), agrees to be manager (and becomes the band’s videographer) and introduces him to another student, Eamon (Mark McKenna), who is adept at playing several musical instruments.

“Sing Street” is a coming-of-age movie that draws comparisons to director Alan Parker’s Irish-set “The Committments” (1991) and numerous films (for example, writer-director Tom Hanks” “That Thing You Do!,” 1996) about pop music groups, and writer-director John Hughes’ “The Breakfast Club” (1985) for its teen-age angst.

What lifts “Sing Street” above the, ahem, pedestrian, are its charming performances by Walsh-Peelo (making his feature-film acting debut), in the lead role of the founder of the band, and Boyton as his female lead role counterpart. There is wonderfully sly chemistry between the two, whose romance appears to be chaste and pure.

The band mates in the fledgling band, Sing Street, from which the film derives its title, are equally fresh and guileless, especially McKenna as Walsh-Peelo’s songwriting partner.

The naivete of the songs and their exuberant performances also elevates the material in “Sing Street,” as does writer-director Carney’s keen understanding of the impact on youthful fans of 1980s’ pop-rockers Duran Duran, The Cure, The Jam, and Robin Scott, the result being a renewed appreciation of their songs, snippets of which (“Rio,” “Inbetween Days,” “Town Called Malice,” “Pop Muzik”) light up the scenes. Even Hall & Oates’ “Maneater” is heard with new ears.

The authentic scenery and town settings; the innocence of the creative process; the cheesy 1980s’ clothing styles, and the Irish accents (although, at times, subtitles would help) lend a sense of immediacy and believability to the story. Carney has a way for capturing the awkward moment. The cinematography by director of photography Yaron Orbach is crisp and glorious.

“Sing Street” is fun and often hilarious. It’s a charmer that will become a minor classic.

“Sing Street,”MPAA PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some Material May Be Inappropriate For Children Under 13.) for thematic elements including strong language and some bullying behavior, a suggestive image, drug material and teen smoking; Genre: Drama, Music: Run time: 1 hr., 46 min.; Distributed by The Weinstein Company.

Credit Readers Anonymous:“Sing Street” was filmed on location in Dublin, Ireland.

Box Office,May 6: ”Captain America: Civil War” had the fifth biggest opening ever, No. 1 with $181.8 million, closing “The Jungle Book” three-week reign at No. 1, dropping to No. 2 with $21.8 million, $284.9 million, four weeks, as “Mother’s Day” moved up a notch to No. 3 with $9 million, $20.7 million, two weeks; 4. “The Huntsman: Winter’s War,” $3.5 million, $40.3 million, three weeks; 5. “Keanu,” $3 million, $15.1 million, two weeks; 6. “Barbershop: The Next Cut,” $2.7 million, $48.7 million, four weeks; 7. “Zootopia,” $2.6 million, $327.6 million, 10 weeks; 8. “The Boss,” $1.7 million, $59.1 million, five weeks; 9. “Ratchet & Clank,” $1.4 million, $7 million, two weeks; 10. “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” $1 million, $327.2 million, seven weeks; 14. “Sing Street,” $422,000, $1.1 million, four weeks.

Unreel,May 13:

“Money Monster,”R: Jodie Foster directs Caitriona Balfe, Julia Roberts, Giancarlo Esposito and George Clooney in the crime thriller about a television financial advice show host and his producer who are taken hostage by an irate investor.

“The Darkness,”PG-13: Greg McLean directs Jennifer Morrison, Kevin Bacon, Lucy Fry and Ming-Na Wen in the horror-thriller about a family who returns home after a Grand Canyon vacation with a supernatural presence hitching a ride.

“Love & Friendship,”PG: Whit Stillman directs Kate Beckinsale, Chloë Sevigny, Xavier Samuel and Emma Greenwell in the romantic-drama set in the 1790s based on the Jane Austen novella, “Lady Susan,” when Lady Susan Vernon moves in at her in-laws’ estate and plays matchmaker for her daughter and herself.

“The Lobster,”R: Yorgos Lanthimos directs Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Jessica Barden and Olivia Colman in the science fiction drama about a future where people in the so-called The City stay in The Hotel where they must find a significant other in 45 days, or are dispatched to The Woods.

“High-Rise,”R: Ben Wheatley directs Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller and Luke Evans in the drama about life in an apartment and condo tower that isn’t so grand.

“Last Days in the Desert,”PG: Rodrigo García directs Susan Gray, Ciarán Hinds, Ewan McGregor and Tye Sheridan in the drama based on The Bible’s account of Jesus’ 40 days of fasting and praying in the desert.

Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes