I remember the first time I heard the catchy hook of a Neil Diamond song. It was through the 8-track tape player in my parents’s 1974 Chevrolet Malibu Classic. I was just a kid, but even I was drawn to Diamond’s distinctive baritone. While Craig Brewer’s new film “Song Sung Blue” isn’t specifically about Neil Diamond, his music and its impact can be felt from the opening frames to the closing credits.
With a title taken from Diamond’s #1 pop hit from 1972, “Song Sung Blue” is based on the Greg Kohs documentary of the same name. It tells the true story of Mike and Claire Sardina, a singing duo who performed under the names Lightning & Thunder. They called their act a “Neil Diamond Experience”. And while Mike had the look and the voice, Lightning & Thunder didn’t set out to imitate Neil Diamond. Instead, they celebrated his songs by bringing their own unique energy and emotion to their performances.
Mike (played with effervescent charm by Hugh Jackman) is a recovering alcoholic who we first meet as he’s celebrating twenty years of sobriety with his fellow AA members. Mike was a tunnel rat in Vietnam, and after returning to the States he started drinking to battle the trauma that followed him home. But he got help and found refuge in entertaining. He began singing at birthday parties, restaurants, and county fairs. And it was at a fair in Milwaukee where he met Claire Stingl (an awards-worthy Kate Hudson).
Image Courtesy of Focus Features
Claire is a single mother raising two kids, her angsty teen daughter Rachel (Ella Anderson) and her spirited younger son Dayna (Hudson Hensley). She’s a part-time hairdresser who also sings Patsy Cline tributes on the side. And that’s what initially draws Mike. The two immediately hit it off romantically and creatively, and the movie gives equal time to both. Brewer pays just as much attention to Mike and Kate as he does to Lightning & Thunder. It turns out to be a great balance of humanity and showmanship.
The movie’s first half focuses on Mike and Claire bringing together their two families while sorting out what would become their Neil Diamond act. As the two fall in love and eventually marry, Dayna latches onto Mike while Rachel finds an unexpected friend and Mike’s daughter, Angelina (King Princess). At the same time, Lightning & Thunder starts to take form. The couple get their band together, and with the help of Mike’s dentist / manager Dr. Watson (Fisher Stevens) and wannabe booker Tom D’Amato (Jim Belushi), they begin performing at small venues across Milwaukee.
But in the film’s second half, Brewer takes a sharp turn after tragedy strikes. The tone gets darker and the story is more serious after a freak accident leaves Claire indefinitely sidelined, leading to bouts with severe depression. Mike tries to keep their act going while she recovers, performing three nights a week at a local Thai restaurant while hiding his own health issues. But without Claire by his side, entertaining no longer has its allure. And keeping his family together quickly takes precedent over chasing the dream they were so close to catching.
Image Courtesy of Focus Features
For those like me who are unfamiliar with this remarkable true story, the sudden shift hits like a ton of bricks. Brewer keeps things anchored and doesn’t take any emotional shortcuts. Jackman is perfectly cast, effortlessly gushing charm and creative energy while turning it down when the movie needs him to. Equally great (if not better) is Hudson who is thoroughly convincing whether she’s glowing on stage or retreating into Claire’s despondency.
As for the music, Brewer hits us with one soaring song after another, all delivered through impassioned, full-bodied performances from Jackman and Hudson. Of course we get Neil Diamond’s eternal “Sweet Caroline”, along with other sing-along hits like “Cracklin’ Rose” and “Forever in Blue Jeans”. And there’s the energizing “Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show”. But Brewer also highlights the diversity of Diamond’s catalogue by including such tunes as “Play Me”, “Soolaimon”, and “Holly Holy”.
“Song Sung Blue” tells a stranger-than-fiction true story that’s sure to resonate with audiences of all kinds. Craig Brewer has crafted a rousing crowd-pleaser built on the timeless music of Neil Diamond and the spectacular chemistry between Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. Together they’ve made a film about the indomitable human spirit, expressed not only in making music, but through love, faithfulness, and resilience in the face of adversity. You’ll leave with your heart full and a song on your lips.
