Song Sung Blue Movie Review

This movie is based on the 2008 somewhat fictional documentary, also titled Song Sung Blue, directed by Greg Kohs. ​

Eddie Vedder was a part of it, no doubt helping the story get made. It’s about Lightning and Thunder. I’m happy those two got the attention they deserved so that this film could be made. This story is a dramatic, biographical musical about a Milwaukee Neil Diamond tribute act that needs to be heard. We need a good family movie to end 2025. This is that movie.

Being that the title suggests it’s about Neil Diamond himself, and finding out it’s about the use of his songs, it’s surprisingly compelling. There were even a few gasps of shock heard in the screening I attended. Everyone was excited to hear the music, as their fans had been in the past. We were equally aghast at what happened about halfway through. No. I won’t divulge that here.

Lightning and Thunder weren’t impersonators, but interpreters of Neil Diamond. Two singers who met and fell in love over their mutual respect and admiration for what Neil Diamond gave the world during his heyday in the late 1960s through the 1980s. “Sweet Caroline” (1969) is mentioned several times in the film, often controversially. If you know the song, you’ll appreciate the context. “Cherry, Cherry” is used very interestingly, as are a few others, such as “Cracklin’ Rosie.” If you like Diamond or not, you’re going to really like this movie. His much-adored tune called “America” is mentioned, and, not that I need to tell you, one of my favorites. When the movie first opens, Mike, aka “Lightning,” played by Hugh Jackman, walks up to a microphone and sings “I am…I said.” We get into the weeds about his past, being a drunk. We learn Mike is 20 years sober, and he’s celebrating his 20 years sober birthday.

He and “Thunder,” aka Claire, played by Kate Hudson, who also has a powerful voice, sing “Holly Holy” together, creating for you a mystique about the pair as you watch this story unfold. When Jackman sings, “Play Me,” you’ll swear it’s Diamond; he sounds so much like him. Lightning and Thunder both have teenage daughters. Their storylines draw you in, curious about what they think of their parents’ careers and their futures. Do they support them? Well, that’s much more fun to find out in the film.

Outside of some aspects of the story, this film is geared toward the crowd that was around when Neil Diamond was on the charts. “Play Freebird” is shouted from the crowd. If you weren’t going to concerts in the 1980’s, you won’t get the joke. How this is told, the cast, and how Eddie Vedder gets involved in their lives is enough to grab lovers of film of any age and any romantic genre. If this is someone’s introduction to Diamond’s music, you get to hear significant amounts of it. You are given a chance to appreciate his craft, rather than being tossed a small piece where you don’t get to perceive his style and sound fully.

This was inspiring, and the performances were clearly studied before shooting began. The songs that writer/director Craig Brewer chose to use are magical, as is the story unfolding before you. This has tremendous callbacks; it has excellent pacing and a unique storytelling style. I appreciated Hudson going all in on the Wisconsin accent. She lays it on thick, and if you’ve been there, you’ll know what I mean. I can’t say enough about their singing, pointing out that her work on the last song is beautiful… have a tissue. This is a remarkable love story, not just about Neil Diamond, but for these two people. Can Hudson and Jackman do an album together already? Well, at least we have the soundtrack. I wanted to buy it the second I heard them sing “Play Me,” but it wasn’t released yet! I think you’ll feel the same way. See this movie to find out if you feel the same way.

Focus Features will release SONG SUNG BLUE

in theaters on Thursday, December 25th

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