Film Review: Song Sung Blue

Welcome back to the blog readers. As you know, I am well underway on my "Best Picture Expedition," in which I strive to watch every film nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. I am also going on a separate odyssey to watch all twenty acting nominees. Most of them will come from my "Best Picture Expedition" but there are some that I have to do some "extracurricular activities" to achieve. With this being one of these films, would I like it more than the previous film, If I Had Legs I'd Kick You (2025)? Stick around to find out.

Song Sung Blue was written and directed by Craig Brewer, based on the 2008 documentary Song Sung Blue by Greg Kohs. The film stars Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson, Michael Imperioli, Ella Anderson, Mustafa Shakir, Fisher Stevens, and Jim Belushi. The film, based on a true story, chronicles the highs and lows of Mike and Claire Sardina, a couple that meets and decides to create a Neil Diamond tribute band known as Lightning & Thunder.

I originally planned to catch this film in theaters when it came out over Christmas, but the flu derailed those plans and only allowed me to see the other film that came out that week, Marty Supreme (2025). Once Kate Hudson got nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars, I knew I had to get on this horse. And I will not lie to you guys, I really liked this film. Not only is the music great, the drama and cinematography are as well. And, the performances of Hudson, Hugh Jackman, and Ella Anderson were stellar.

I want to start by talking about the performance of Hugh Jackman. You would be forgiven for not remembering that he is actually Australian. But not only that, he is a talented actor and performer. Having given us some of the most memorable characters over the last 25 years, I never expected Mike Sardina to be one of them. He was so good in this role that I believe he should have been nominated for an Oscar. He brings a level of charisma that only he can to the role, but he blends that so well with those silky smooth vocals and Oscar-level emotional chops that guide and navigate this performance to its tragic end. I hung on every word he said, and he deserved more love than he got.

Next up, I want to talk about the performance of Kate Hudson. The daughter of Goldie Hawn, Hudson has carved herself a special little niche in Hollywood by delivering excellent performances in everything she has been in. And her turn as Claire Sardina is no exception of her immeasurable talent. Hudson commands the screen with her presence. Each word spoken with a perfect midwestern accent (something Emma Thompson could not do in Dead of Winter (2025)) was relevant and meaningful, each action was earth-shattering and heartbreaking, and the sum of all of those parts is a performance that is great, but not Oscar great. Yeah, that is my hot take. While I loved her performance, I did not think she deserved an Oscar nomination.

But somebody who should have gotten more attention in the Best Supporting Actress ceremony (but not necessarily have been nominated) is young actor Ella Anderson. Anderson is mainly known for her role in the Nickelodeon series Henry Danger (2014-20) and its sequel film Henry Danger: The Movie (2025), but taking on the role of Rachel Cartwright is one of the most pure and powerful performances I have seen all year. At first, she comes off as the broodish and bratty daughter of Kate Hudson's Claire Sardina, but we wind up getting a powerful and emotionally moving performance where she delivers on some real goods. I loved what I saw from her, and I really hope this is the start of an accolade-laden career for her.

The next aspect of the film that I want to praise is of the cinematography, which honestly is the last thing I expected to love in this film. Amy Vincent is the person behind the camera for this film, with this being her first credit as director of photography since Sinister 2 (2015) a whole decade earlier. I absolutely loved what she was able to pull off in this film. From shots that follow our characters from different angles to wide shots that capture every aspect of our characters, Vincent delivers a stellar effort that should have gotten more love than it wound up getting in my humble opinion.

And finally, I want to talk about the music of the film. Since Lightning & Thunder was a Neil Diamond tribute band, the film is rich with the man's music. I think the reason that Jackman and Hudson were chosen to play Mike and Claire Sardina is their ability to bring Diamond's music to life in such a way that is endearing and relevant. Some of the songs that really stood out to me were "Play Me," "Sweet Caroline" (of course), "Soolaimon," and "Holly Holy." The music really adds to the drama that we see on screen, because the lives of the Sardinas were filled with tragedy after tragedy, including a lost leg and a lost life.

In conclusion, Song Sung Blue is a beautiful and heartfelt tribute to a musical legend told from the lens of two people who brought him to life. Thank you all for reading, and remember, it is pronounced "Soo-lay-mon."