THE STORY – Two down-on-their-luck musicians form a joyous Neil Diamond tribute band, proving it’s never too late to find love and follow your dreams.
THE CAST – Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson, Michael Imperioli, Ella Anderson, Fisher Stevens, Jim Belushi, King Princess, Mustafa Shakir, Hudson Hensley & John Beckwith
THE TEAM – Craig Brewer (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 131 Minutes
In a year filled with nonstop bad news and quite heavy films (see “The Voice of Hind Rajab” and “Hamnet“), audiences need something that’ll make them smile. “Song Sung Blue” is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, especially during the holiday season, for audiences of all ages from all walks of life. Director/writer Craig Brewer, who has a knack for bringing underdog stories to the big screen, does so again by taking on the true story of a Milwaukee married couple who continued to chase after dreams of superstardom despite many difficult setbacks in life. Stars Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson catch lightning in a bottle with their electric chemistry and performances, taking us on a rollercoaster of emotions through their characters’ lives. But the film also suffers from a sloppy screenplay that doesn’t make time for all these characters’ many intricacies, and often moves so quickly from one dramatic moment to the next that the emotional impact is diminished.
Mike Sardina (Jackman) is a middle-aged Vietnam veteran who will make any stage his arena, whether it’s an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting where he celebrates 20 years of sobriety with a yearly rendition of Diamond’s “Song Sung Blue“ or a musical Legends gig at the Wisconsin State Fair. But he’s tired of always having to be someone else rather than just “Lightning,“ his rock persona with, you better believe it, a lightning bolt–bedazzled jacket. But everyone is trying to make it in his orbit, including Mark Shurilla (Michael Imperioli), who is the show’s promoter and makes a killer Buddy Holly impersonator, and Claire (Hudson, with a very convincing Midwest accent), a hairdresser who also wants more from this life. Just as she’s about to go on stage and perform some of Patsy Cline’s music, she encourages Mike to do some of Diamond’s work with her.
Little do these two know the journey that lies ahead. Their first brainstorming session shows not only how great their duet skills are, but also how well they instantly click with one another. Jackman and Hudson are the only people who could have stepped into these respective roles. They’ve shown their knack for singing in previous films such as “The Greatest Showman“ and “Nine,“ and they have the beaming smiles and charisma that work for a heartwarming (and heartbreaking) movie such as this. You need two people who you want to root for in every which way, and they deliver on that front from the get-go. As Lightning and Thunder, they take Milwaukee by storm, performing Diamond’s classic songs with so much energy and love, and are even invited to open for Pearl Jam. As Mike repeatedly says, there’s more to the singer’s catalogue than just “Sweet Caroline,“ and while the song gets the centerpiece treatment, other tunes such as the mystic “Soolaimon“ and romantic “Play Me“ get their time to shine as well. Does the storytelling get too cheesy? Definitely, but there’s no denying how great everyone sounds together and how well Jackman and Hudson elevate the material.
Just as their lives are on the up-and-up, with several casino performances lined up, a shocking tragedy strikes Claire and upends everything they’ve worked toward. Though Claire, a single mother with teen daughter Rachel (Ella Anderson) and tween son Dayna (Hudson Hensley), is mainly portrayed as a cheerful, put-together woman, it’s briefly mentioned that she struggles with mental health issues, which plunge her into dark territory later on. It’s incredible to see the turn that Hudson takes (the best of her career since her Oscar-nominated turn in “Almost Famous”), exchanging Claire’s bubbly personality and radiance for something so bitter and angry. It casts a black cloud over the whole family, including Mike, who has to take a karaoke-hosting gig at a Thai restaurant to make ends meet, and Rachel, who has to step up for the family despite her own challenges.
It’s in the film’s second act where the screenplay really begins to falter. Clocking in at 131 minutes, there’s plenty of time to explore the many twists and turns this family experiences, but it always seems like Brewer is racing to get to the next Diamond cover performance rather than lingering on these emotional moments. Claire’s mental health struggles take a turn quickly, but once she goes to a facility and attends a group therapy session, everything seems to be back to normal. Mike also has a bad heart that stops at random times, but then he bounces back like nothing happened and never does anything to address it. Perhaps the most egregious storyline deals with Rachel’s unplanned pregnancy, which is discussed and dealt with in a two-minute timespan. There are aspects early in the film that also don’t get their fair share of screentime, like how quickly Mike and Claire fall in love (essentially right after their first hangout), their pasts, or how this blended family got so close despite Rachel’s initial resistance. It’s a little easier to move past because of the joyous momentum that Brewer, Jackman, and Hudson build up in the first act, but it becomes hard to ignore the longer the movie goes on. Many of the supporting players also don’t get much screentime, such as casino booker Tom D’Amato (a silly Jim Belushi) and Mike’s dentist-turned-manager Dave Watson (Fisher Stevens).
The third act of “Song Sung Blue” delivers killer tonal whiplash as the band hits the road again, but not without more unexpected tragedy. How they handle the real story is certainly ramped up for dramatic effect, and keeps dragging out an inevitable conclusion. The film also doesn’t know precisely when or how to end, but Jackman and Hudson make this film sing. Jackman is a reliable showman, and his dramatic chops are on full display here, but the majority of the praise will likely go Hudson’s way as she delivers a performance we have not seen from her in many years that highlights all of her best qualities as an actress and singer. Despite its faults, “Song Sung Blue” is a sentimental, deeply non-cynical film that practically anyone can enjoy, and is sure to be a holiday-season winner.
