2026 – Song Sung Blue

The Oscars preparations have well and truly left the station. So much for letting them go by this year 😊 And I think I may’ve seen one of the last screenings of this movie in a cinema by myself, considering Australia’s release date for Song Sung Blue was January 1^st!

Twenty years sober, and just enough time to grow sick of being a cover performer, Mike “Lightning” Sardina (Hugh Jackman) just wants to go on stage and entertain people as himself. After a casual chance meeting with Claire (Kate Hudson), she informs him that there’s actually a lot of money to be made in nostalgia, and suggests he could pass as Neil Diamond at a pinch. Mike reveres the great man, and commits to practice, so long as his upcoming show is seen as an interpretation of Neil Diamond’s legacy, and not merely an impersonation. And so, at 50 years old, those garage days begin again, with Mike and Claire embracing a whole new act… which consists of a catalogue greater than just “Sweet Caroline”, don’t you know? Craig Brewer directs.

Well, that was a pleasant surprise. Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson display immaculate warm and sexual chemistry, making the first half of this movie especially cozy. Song Sung Blue is definitely enthralling while it’s fun, and even at times when I didn’t feel like much was happening in the plot, as Lightning, and Thunder, rehearse and perform small gigs, I was content soaking in the presence of these two, their passion for music and each other. For a short moment, I did contemplate if the leads were perhaps 10 years too old for the story of rejuvenation being told, but that was quickly shut down, as a member of Mike’s AA group starts talking about a contrast with the youth, and Lightning’s dicky knees or dodgy ticker take a prominent role. Ultimately, it’s great for patrons in this 50-year age bracket to have a movie experience specifically tailored for them, and dreams are never too old, so what am I worrying about? I especially love how this family of scattered pieces comes together, in how Mike and Claire’s daughters bond. Rachel (Ella Anderson) doesn’t even want to wave at Mike at the start, but ends up relying on him for baby advice, and learning how to tend to her own car. (It’s actually hard to express how impressive actress Anderson is in this movie – it’s akin to that Kat Dennings role in 40-Year-Old Virgin, with more range, and I hope we look back to this point in a few years’ time if Anderson becomes a notable star. It’s like Isabel Merced in Instant Family too, where her performance elevated the role. And Anderson has a gigantic head, it must be said, like Taylor Tomlinson; just saying). But more than the immediate family too, I admire how much is made of Mark (Michael Imperioli), the Buddy Holly impersonator, in the early part of the movie, while he drifts into the background later on; still receiving many spotlights through the movie’s editing to remind us he’s there, and to remind us of his dream that he is letting go in service to Mike, as a loyal friend. Then there’s those we meet along the way, like the rest of the band, the expressive manager Tom (Jim Belushi), and the Asian restaurant owner, Somechai (Shyaporn Theerakulstit), who honestly sings the saddest rendition of “I Am, I Said”, and becomes part of this make-shift family as well. All them fuzzy feels, and this movie is sturdy in delivering them all.

And then… oh God, why couldn’t this have stayed a feel-good movie? I was having fun. But, let’s not be selfish, as I’m sure Claire would’ve also preferred to have stayed on her upwards trajectory 🙁 Claire loses her leg and this movie takes a dip in emotionality while we’re sad for a little while. I don’t want to dwell too long on the downwards slope, so I’ll use this time just to mention how this CGI is impressive and is certainly easy to appreciate in a movie like this where it’s used sparingly; Lightning’s missing tooth, and Claire’s missing leg – seamless. Song Sung Blue ends up having two gears, about living your desires despite age, and then picking yourself back up again when things go awry. It’s like Rocky in that sense, I guess, at a taffy-long stretch of application of themes 😊 I challenge any horror movie to come up with a moment as shocking as seeing that car plow towards Claire so unexpectedly – but then again, no, I don’t want any horror movie to actually do it; terrible. I went into this movie under the impression that this was a biopic, and doubted it throughout, but by the end, I’m still hoping that it is, so I can believe these lovable and durable characters existed.

Now, we must talk about Kate Hudson. Has she ever even played a mother in a movie before? When I think of Kate Hudson, I think glamour, like her character in Glass Onion. And now she’s wearing granny panties and a matching bra uplifted on the bathroom sink. She even looks less like Kate Hudson that she does a Sally Field or Heather Locklear, patched into the 90s with that chosen hair style par for the course. And I don’t know Kate Hudson, I don’t often think about Kate Hudson; but watching this movie, I reminisce on Kate Hudson in Almost Famous, which is certainly her most prominent role. She was so young in 2000, portraying such a go-getter – coming now to this, it feels like such a big moment for her; an acting journey of 26 years. And with the Oscar attention, it feels like a fitting time to reflect on a career, and I feel it too. I’m happy for her. And who knew she had such pipes?! She sings so well. Her filmography tells me that she did a stint on Glee, so maybe somebody knew 😄 Hudson has never been an actress I have been particularly fond of, but I’m glad I got to share in this moment of hers.

And on the other hand, Hugh Jackman just keeps on keeping on. He’s so versatile – drama, action, romance; then he can sing, and mops up those musical roles like bread on the last remnants of soup. I really wonder how he is viewed outside of Australia, because obviously here, he’s one of ours – we love him no matter what. We’d love him if he were Jai Courtney 😄 But it’s his longevity that’s most impressive too. And unlike Chris Hemsworth, who is still trying to escape the superhero mold with Thor, it’s more than just Wolverine that helps Hugh Jackman hang around. Hugh is like a paper mache A-lister – he’s not forged in the kiln of glass-perfect movie stars like Tom Cruise or Glen Powell, but he’s got looks and charisma adjacent to those names, while achieving his success playing more fanciful characters with more relatable struggles. Don’t you think? And I can’t remember him ever being outweighed by a performance, even in a bad movie like Pan. He gets the job done.

And some movies are the same, as matter of fact as the characters they display. Some movies can be frilly with deep themes and imagery, like the recent Hamlet; or boost their allure with flowery dialogue, like Being the Ricardos, or much from Aaron Sorkin’s pen. But some movies excel by being simple; trucking on like old reliable, getting you from A to B like it’s just another day at the office. Song Sung Blue is one such movie. Last year, I was enamored by another biopic that wanted to make a rigorous point, in A Complete Unknown, but Song Sung Blue prefers to just lay out and be chill, tell a simple story about simple folk. And sure, there’s a valuable nugget of wisdom to be taken out of it, but it’s secondary to just hanging out with people, and giving a talent his dues. Actually, a biopic in a similar vein as this casualness is A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. I am really impressed by this movie and admire its grandeur in gentility.

4.5