Universal Studios
Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman let sparks fly as they portray two impersonators who find each other through their line of work, joining forces not only as musicians onstage, but also as a romantic couple offstage.
Telling the story of Lightning & Thunder, Song Sung Blue is based on the 2008 documentary of the same name, which details the lives and career of the Neil Diamond tribute act of Mike and Claire Sardina from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as they saw more success than most tribute acts could ever dream of, but also suffered harrowing tragedies in their private lives.
The heart and soul of the film is undoubtedly Mike and Claire’s relationship, and Hudson and Jackman’s chemistry is undeniably powerful, making Song Sung Blue a disarmingly charming film to watch for their interplay alone, as they throw themselves into their roles with sincerity and warmth.
Being sweet without going overboard, the film comfortably envelopes the viewer in a pleasantly mundane romance that delicately plucks at the heartstrings until disaster suddenly strikes, turning the story completely on its head, which would have seemed entirely too farfetched, were it not for the fact that this is based on a true story.
Thanks to the film’s warm beginning, it is easy to remain invested in the characters as they experience one ordeal after another, however, to some, the tonal shift may be too much, just as the film’s gentle pacing feels increasingly rushed in a manner that signifies narrative overload rather than an meaningfully intensifying story.
Additionally, while the film has plenty of emotional gut punches, and manages to address most of them in a satisfying manner, there are other elements that are announced and then subsequently glossed over rather than being examined sufficiently to yield the maximum impact and nuance from them, which does somewhat detract from the character arcs of some of the essential supporting players in particular.
As a result, Song Sung Blue becomes a tale of two halves, both in terms of its sweet and gentle first half juxtaposed by its hectic and borderline overstuffed second half, as well as in terms of its tone and pacing, meaning the film succeeds for the most part, but does not quite manage to hit it out of the park to create something truly remarkable.
Much like most people’s relationship with Neil Diamond’s music, there is an inconsequential but inherent likeability to Song Sung Blue, and one could argue that this is also mirrored in most viewers’ relationship with musical biopics in general; the genre falls into a “take it or leave it” category of entertainment, and while the film is hardly the most memorable biopic you will ever see, the chemistry and charm of its leads carries the narrative a long way, ensuring that it is certainly not among the worst of its ilk either.
Extras include commentary, two extended performances, featurettes, and trailers.
Verdict: 7 out of 10.
