In ‘Song Sung Blue,’ Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson Are a Lovable Neil Diamond Tribute Act Pulling Through Tragedy 

Alci Rengifo

The ongoing renaissance of music biopics continues to deliver cinematic interpretations of legendary chart-toppers. “Song Sung Blue” becomes an engrossing addition by not focusing on some cultural icon. Its subjects are the kind of underdogs you can’t help but root for, chasing dreams that may seem quirky from afar, yet up close can be quite inspiring. Mike and Claire Sardina were almost born to be on camera. Their story was captured in Greg Kohs’ moving documentary of the same name, which is the basis for this dramatization by Craig Brewer. Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson turn the couple into a wonderful portrait of endurance, clinging to music for survival despite what life throws their way.

They meet while doing the state fair circuit in the early 1990s. Mike (Jackman) does covers under the stage name of Lightning. Claire (Hudson) is a part-time hairdresser moonlighting as a Patsy Cline tribute singer. The two divorcees instantly hit it off. Despite some early hesitation, Mike endears himself to Claire’s children, adolescent Rachel (Ella Anderson) and younger son Dana (Hudson Hensley). Love also sparks a eureka moment for Mike when he proposes that he and Claire form a Neil Diamond act. He doesn’t want to call it an impersonation, even if he looks close enough to the singer, but more of a “channeling.” They take on the stage name of Lightning and Thunder, forming a band that includes Buddy Holly impersonator and friend Mark Shurilla (Michael Imperioli). They quickly start building a local following with their rousing gigs. They become such a draw that Pearl Jam invites them to open. Their goal grows to seeking firmer footing in Las Vegas. A sudden accident then upends their entire life and plans.

As a storyteller, Craig Brewer has a particular strength for underdogs. His best film remains “Hustle & Flow,” one of the great films about hip-hop as a conduit for the artistic process. It is easy to look in awe at legends, yet a film like this is much more relatable, even touching on a human level. Mike and Claire are driven by nothing more than a passion for music. Neil Diamond’s songs become the ultimate vehicle for their dreams. In a way, “Song Sung Blue” is a musical, since Brewer gives many Diamond songs space, performed with gusto by Jackman and Hudson, both seasoned vocalists. The music in general frames key moments, like when Claire locks eyes with Mike while singing Patsy Cline’s “Walkin’ After Midnight” at a fair.  Despite everyone’s reservations, including manager Tom D’Amato (Jim Belushi), Mike insists they open a biker bar gig with the meditative “Soolaimon/Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation.” A safer choice would be going straight to the famous “Sweet Caroline.” The audience expresses itself by throwing bottles at the band. Lightning and Thunder maintain a sense of artistic integrity, no matter the venue. 

The ads may promote this film as another music romp, but those who have seen the Kohs documentary know there’s another, rather powerful layer to the story. When a car hits Claire outside the couple’s home, causing her to lose a leg, the entire family faces the crises of both her recovery and the potential end of Lightning and Thunder. Both have already developed tough exteriors from past experiences. Mike is a recovering alcoholic and Vietnam veteran who tapes himself singing Diamond songs for his AA group when he misses a meeting. For an already sensitive artist, the shock and physical toll of the accident can still be too much. Claire spirals into depression, compounded by the very strange nature of what happened. The gigs dry up. Mike is reduced to crooning at weddings. How the film treats the children is commendable by making them sharp. Rachel becomes an anchor, having to work and even enduring a pregnancy while the elders try to get their act together. 

Through it all, Mike and Claire cannot let go of the music. This story is inspiring and bittersweet. Artists such as this naturally want to make a living, but what they truly aspire to is the freedom to live off their passion. Mike and Claire never harbor overloaded dreams of global stardom. A stable gig in Vegas would be enough. It is hard to beat fact and Jackman and Hudson remarkably make the characters their own. This is no easy feat when you watch the documentary and see how unforgettable the real couple could be. They become so likable that the film’s more rushed or corny that the film’s more rushed, or corny, features can be forgiven. Neil Diamond’s songs also take on a fresh air as they become a genuine soundtrack for this journey. Soaring numbers like “Holly Holy” or fun ones such as “Cherry, Cherry” take on deeper resonance once the lyrics become so attached to the lives on screen. It was always about the music for these two, through the good and bad times.  

“Song Sung Blue” releases Dec. 25 in theaters nationwide.