Hugh Jackman commands attention every time he’s on screen, regardless of the quality of the film surrounding him. Though he has just one Oscar nomination—for his performance in Les Misérables (2012)—his career spans fan favorites (Logan, Real Steel, The Greatest Showman, Eddie the Eagle), underseen gems (Bad Education, The Fountain), and even standout performances in films that never quite came together (The Front Runner, The Son). Jackman’s presence is undeniable, so it speaks volumes when an actor can upstage him in one of his films. Kate Hudson (Deepwater Horizon, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days) does just that, delivering an Oscar-worthy performance in Craig Brewer’s (Black Snake Moan, Hustle & Flow) Song Sung Blue.
While Song Sung Blue is 100% a paint-by-numbers, formulaic film, it will have those who enjoy saccharine love stories weeping by the end. Was it a film we needed? It was not. Many better musical biopics tell stories that resonate with more people. I have been critical of biopics (particularly musical ones) in recent years. I’ve felt there have been too many, and that most haven’t been able to separate themselves from the others. For the few who have, the story has, more often than not, been lackluster at best. An example from this year is Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. The film had the right actor and director and featured one of the most popular American musicians of all time at its forefront. Still, because the story was uninteresting, it felt flat and average. Song Sung Blue had two great lead performances in a film that had you both singing in your chair and rooting for the characters. But the movie also felt irrelevant. Had it been a story about Neil Diamond, that might have been one thing. A Neil Diamond tribute band was something different entirely.
Jackman and Hudson star as Mike and Claire Sardina, a singing duo performing with the names Lightning & Thunder, calling their show a “Neil Diamond Experience.” Experience is the key component. Mike and Claire didn’t want to imitate the legendary singer. Instead, they looked to honor his songs by infusing their own distinct energy and emotion into their performances. We learn that Mike is a recovering alcoholic and military veteran, telling an AA group on his 20th sober anniversary that he drank to cope with the trauma of the Vietnam War.
Twenty years sober and an auto mechanic by trade, he moonlights as a music impersonator, working events like county fairs and birthday parties as a way to fill the gaps for a life gone astray. When he finds a connection with Claire, he feels a sense of purpose and hope. He’s adamant and stubborn about his vision of and the path needed to get there. Because his life was imperfect, perhaps he sees this as a chance to be perfect.
If you’ve seen the trailer or know anything about the story, the unfolding events won’t surprise you. If you’ve managed to avoid either or both of these, you’ll get more out of the film. I don’t know why trailers that spoil movies continue to be churned out. In addition to cheapening it, there is no advance notice that the trailer will contain spoilers. While it is possible to avoid trailers online or at home, you literally have to close your eyes and plug your ears if you are at a theater, and this is one of the previews before your show.
The main issue with Song Sung Blue is the same issue I have with other films that try to tell similar stories. Brewer guided us to feel the way he wanted us to, rather than let the emotions associated with the events unfold organically. It’s not uncommon and can be a significant problem. With only a limited number of minutes to tell a story, a director must decide what to sacrifice to effectively take us on an emotional journey with one or more characters. For as good as Jackman and Hudson were, they were often rushed through the scripts to get more story. It didn’t work for me. Another problem I had with it was its timeline. It was frequently difficult to tell, from one scene to the next, if it was a day, a couple of weeks, or a few months later.
The lead performances were outstanding. Hudson could earn an Oscar nomination in a role in which she danced circles around that of the always formidable Jackman. This isn’t meant to take away from Jackman, who was fantastic. But Hudson became Claire, disappearing behind the makeup and costumes, while coming to life behind the microphone. She could sing. She could dance. She became the character we rooted for the most. The sound mixing and score were top-tier. The moviegoer feels like they are part of the live audience during renditions of “Sweet Caroline” and other recognizable hits.
Plot 7.75/10
Character Development 8.75/10
Character Chemistry 9.5/10
Acting 9.75/10
Screenplay 8/10
Directing 8/10
Cinematography 9/10
Sound 10/10
Hook and Reel 9/10
Universal Relevance 8/10
87.75%
B
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