Film Review: ‘Song Sung Blue’ is a Big Hearted and Winning Musical Love Story with All the Emotions
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You have to admire the dedication that a good tribute band has. After all, to do an interpretation of a famous band or musician, one that they must have such respect for, is not easy. It can become their lives, often done for little money. Most toil in obscurity. One such band did not, at least after the documentary Song Sung Blue was made about Neil Diamond tribute band/husband and wife duo, Lightning and Thunder. Their inspirational and tragic love story has now been given the narrative treatment, complete with A-list stars. What could have come off hammy or a bit silly instead remains powerful. Song Sung Blue is a film that sneaks up on you, to the point where I suspect that I won’t be alone in rolling a tear or two before all is said and done.
Song Sung Blue is full of great music, which will make you a fan of Diamond, if you weren’t already, but the heart on display is really what makes it soar. The love of music, as well as the love between a couple, fuels every frame. Beyond that, the joyous highs of making music are inspiring, while the tragic lows the pair go through would be unbelievable if not true. Those developments are as surprising as they would be unlikely if this was straight fiction. Instead, they lend weight to what begins as a light and fun flick. By the end, your heart is full, though the journey is full of pain.
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Mike Sardina (Hugh Jackman) is a down on his luck musician, a Vietnam vet, recovering alcoholic, and mechanic, performing as his musical persona Lightning wherever he can get a gig. When he meets Claire Stengl (Kate Hudson), a hairdresser and fellow musician hoping to make it in a tough field, they have an instant connection. Moreover, the working class duo have a bond that inspires them to pair up, both musically and romantically. Mike loves the music of Neil Diamond but respects him too much to impersonate him at those gimmicky shows, including the one where he met Claire (she was doing Patsy Cline), but she changes his mind. Pitching it as an interpretation, he’s all in, christening her Thunder. In that instant, Lightning and Thunder are born.
Moving in together, Claire brings her daughter Rachel (Ella Anderson) and son Dayna (Hudson Henry) into Mike’s home, while he introduces Rachel to his own daughter Angelina (King Princess), creating a blended family. At the same time, Mike has a knack for doing Diamond, leading the act to succeed locally. With a backing band that includes former Buddy Holly impersonator Mark Shurilla (Michael Imperioli), a booking agent in Tom D’Amato (Jim Belushi), and Mike’s manager/dentist Dr. Dave Watson (Fisher Stevens), they even get to open for Pearl Jam, complete with Eddie Vedder joining them for a song. They’re on the cusp of something special, then a random tragedy strikes, one that changes everything for Claire and Mike.
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Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman are both excellent here, fully invested in all sides of their complicated characters. For Hudson, it stands with Almost Famous as her best work to date, while Jackman is his reliably winning self. Hudson has a chance at being a factor in the Best Actress race, as her second half performance is something to witness. That takes nothing away from Jackman, who’s very good, but Hudson is definitely best in show. The surprises here are Ella Anderson and Jim Belushi, with the former handling some tough dramatic material, while the latter is very amusing. Hudson Henry and King Princess are solid as the other children, while Michael Imperioli and Fisher Stevens are underused, yet welcome presences. Supporting players here also include John Beckwith, Mustafa Shakir, and more, though Hudson and Jackman are the showcases.
Filmmaker Craig Brewer takes the Greg Kohs documentary of the same name and figures out where the dramatic liberties are acceptable, while never undermining the story. Brewer’s writing and direction consistently lean into Hudson and Jackman’s work, while also allowing you to feel why Diamond would inspire this sort of passion. At two hours and thirteen minutes, Song Sung Blue does feel a little long, but it also makes sense to have that length, in order to allow the triumphs and tragedies to stand on their own. The end result is a movie that’s a mainstream crowdpleaser while also having real tearjerker elements to it as well.
Song Sung Blue surprised me not just in how entertaining it turns out to be, but also in how emotional is is, too. This is a very full cinematic meal. You’ll laugh, you might cry, and you’ll almost certainly want to listen to some Neil Diamond deep cuts. This could easily be a surprise hit at the end of the year, as well as a potential awards season dark horse. Expect many fans to pop up once this hits on Christmas.
SCORE: ★★★1/2
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