Review: Song Sung Blue – A true story that sings

Directed by Craig Brewer
Starring Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson

9/10

Song Sung Blue is a beautiful, heart-wrenching film about the enduring power of love, hope, and music. Based on a true love story, it tells a deeply human tale of perseverance through tragedy—not just once, but again and again—and the quiet courage it takes to keep showing up for life when it would be easier to stop.

Written and directed by Craig Brewer, Song Sung Blue is a biographical musical drama based on the 2008 documentary of the same name by Greg Kohs. The film follows Mike (Hugh Jackman) and Claire Sardina (Kate Hudson), a real-life couple who find connection and renewed purpose through their Neil Diamond tribute band, Lightning & Thunder. Through hardship and challenges, music and love carry them forward when little else can.

At its core, the film is about the love between two people, the power of music, and the family you choose to build around you along the way. Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson deliver incredibly emotionally vulnerable performances, grounding the story with honesty and tenderness. Their chemistry feels lived-in and real, allowing the film’s most intimate moments to land with genuine weight. Together, they make the story feel less like a biopic and more like a love letter—to each other and to music itself.

There’s also a surprising amount of warmth and humour throughout, thanks to a delightful supporting cast. From the couple’s daughters and bandmates to neighbours, a Thai restaurant owner and even a dentist, these characters add gentle comedic touches that balance the film’s heavier moments.

Steeped in 1990s nostalgia, the film reminds us of wind-up car windows, brow-bar glasses, turtlenecks, floral casseroles, patterned wallpaper, and handheld camcorders—small details that make its world feel vividly familiar and comforting.

Importantly, you don’t need to be a Neil Diamond fan to be moved by this film. Even going in with only Sweet Caroline as a reference point, the music still resonates, serving the story rather than overshadowing it. By the final notes, Song Sung Blue is a powerful celebration of love and loss and the music that helps us survive both. It doesn’t just tell a true story—it sings one, filled with heart, hope, and hard-won joy.

MELISSA MANN