By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
HUGH JACKMAN AND KATE HUDSON LIGHT UP "SONG SUNG BLUE"
When I first interviewed Vallejo, California director
Craig Brewer at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco, it was for his 2005 breakthrough film
"Hustle & Flow," which went on to earn an Academy Award for "Best Original Song" ("It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp"). I asked Brewer if he had any additional music movies he'd like to make, and he told me he wanted to try a very different kind of movie, one that audiences probably wouldn't expect from him.
Fast-forward to 2025, and that film appears to be the biographical musical drama
"Song Sung Blue," written, co-produced, and directed by Brewer Based on
Greg Kohs' 2008 documentary of the same name, the movie stars Hugh Jackman ("Deadpool & Wolverine") and Kate Hudson ("Glass Onion") as Mike and Claire Sardina, a real-life couple who performed sold-out shows throughout Milwaukee as the
Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning & Thunder.
We first meet Mike Sardina (Jackman) during a large-scale tribute showcase filled with colorful impersonators, including Sex Machine/James Brown (Mustafa Shakir, "Love Hurts"), Buddy Holly (a surprisingly funny Michael Imperioli, TV's "Memory of a Killer"), and Patsy Cline, portrayed by Claire (Hudson). Mike is clearly frustrated. He has no interest in donning a Don Ho costume and singing "Tiny Bubbles." This guy is aiming for something bigger, something that will truly move an audience.
When Mike locks eyes with Claire and the two begin talking about their dreams and ambitions, the spark is immediate.
Their first rehearsal together, set to Neil Diamond's "Play Me" is electric and magical, signaling that this partnership is destined for more than just a single performance.
Jackman, a natural-born showman, brings warmth, vulnerability, and quiet determination to Mike. Whether commanding the stage or grappling with self-doubt off it, he makes Mike's journey--as a former alcoholic--deeply relatable.
Hudson, however, is the film's emotional anchor. Her Claire is strong, soulful, and fiercely human. Hudson delivers what is easily one of the best performances of her career and is one that has rightfully earned her a Golden Globe nomination ("Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy").
Together, Jackman and Hudson ignite Neil Diamond's catalog, infusing songs like "Sweet Caroline," "Cracklin’ Rosie," and "Soolaimon/ Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show" with renewed joy, love, and authenticity that feel both celebratory and personal.
But "Song Sung Blue" isn't just about music and applause. It's also about the fragile realities of life behind the curtain. As Mike's heart condition worsens and Claire experiences a near-fatal tragedy, the pressures of performance collide with the responsibilities of marriage and parenthood.
These challenges threaten not only their act, but their relationship and the stability of their family, including their two kids, Rachel (Ella Anderson, "James the Second") and Dana (Hudson Hensley, "The Wildman of Shaggy Creek"). Brewer handles the drama with restraint and compassion, allowing the emotional weight to build naturally without ever overshadowing the music.
Adding both humor and heart is Jim Belushi as the band's rough-around-the-edges manager, the man who believes in Mike and Claire enough to get them booked and keep the dream alive. His grounded performance provides levity while reinforcing the importance of having someone in your corner when the odds are stacked against you.
A fun musical footnote also comes courtesy of The Esquires--yes, the legendary soul and R&B group from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and behind that classic jam "Get on Up"--who back Mike and become part of the act.
In real life, The Esquires opened for Neil Diamond and even the late, Glen Campbell, making their inclusion here in the film a rich and meaningful nod to music history.
"Song Sung Blue" is fun, funny, and at times heartbreaking. It's a richly layered celebration of Neil Diamond's music, the power of performance, and the fans whose devotion keep his legacy alive.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays now at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Go Ahead And Watch This Trailer For
"SONG SUNG BLUE"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
