Song Sung Blue is a musical biopic that is based on the 2008 documentary of the same name. It hits similar beats that are accustomed to a biopic of this sort, but the execution is much more involving than the likes of Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.
The movie stars Hugh Jackman as Mike Sardina, who impersonates Don Ho while working at an amusement park. He’s also 20 years sober with some health issues. Kate Hudson costars as Claire, who impersonates Patsy Cline, and the two immediately bond over their love of music, which, of course inevitably leads to their own love affair.
Claire gives Mike the inspiration to try his hand at impersonating Neil Diamond, but at first, he’s reluctant to do so. They decide to go on tour together as “Lightning and Thunder.” They also get married, much to the chagrin of their kids from previous marriages, but eventually they become a unit.
Things take a turn for the worse when Claire is hit by a car, which causes her left leg to be amputated, and her mental health begins spiraling out of control. I guess it’s par for the course in a musical biopic to have one of its subjects develop some sort of affliction, but the way this is handled is one of real honesty as Claire battles her inner demons while Mike tries to be the backbone.
Jackman and Hudson’s presences vibrate the screen with electric energy when they perform Diamond’s hits such as “Sweet Caroline,” and of course, the title song, “Song Sung Blue.” They truly shine when they’re performing the material and seem to have a lot of fun in their roles.
More importantly, they also know how to balance the glitz and glamour with the inner demons of mental illness and alcoholism. This is where the film unapologetically turns formulaic, but I guess we should expect that. It’s impossible not to show off the good times without a fraction of what is in the personal lives of these people to give them some credibility, as well as showcasing scenes that can give them time to breathe from the music.
Like a lot of musical biopics, I’m not sure if it will win converts to its subject, but fans of Diamond as well as Jackman and Hudson should be charmed by their performances and the treatment of the music. Song Sung Blue is a perfectly passably entertaining diversion.
