Mike Sardina (Hugh Jackman) aka “Lightning” is a musician and performer who is no stranger to the hustle. Over the decades he has been a part of many bands, has done solo gigs, worked as an impersonator, hosted karoke, and even performs oil changes to make ends meet, as long as he’s performing. He’s never achieved fame or riches, but he loves what he’s doing. It’s pretty much the same with all of his musician friends—even his manager Dave (Fisher Stevens) is also his dentist!

Mike is a Vietnam vet with a wonky heart, divorced with a teenage daughter (King Princess), 3 months overdue on his mortgage, and a recovering alcoholic celebrating his 20th sober birthday, but he’s happy and full of life. One evening, while attending a gig where he’s supposed to fill in as “Don Ho”, Mike meets Patsy Cline impersonator Claire Stengl (Kate Hudson), and is instantly smitten. Mike has been looking for something new for his act, and Claire suggests that he would make a good Neil Diamond “interpreter”. At first, he writes off the idea as he holds Neil Diamond in such high regards and wouldn’t want to insult the singer. But the more Mike thinks about it—and about Claire—he’s sold on the idea, and he wants Claire to be his partner in this new venture, playing music and singing backing vocals. He gives her the nickname “Thunder” and calls their show Lightning & Thunder: A Neil Diamond Experience.

Claire is also divorced with two kids, Rachel (Ella Anderson) & Dana (Hudson Hensley), and she feels this instant connection with Mike, seeing him as the guy who will help her out of her financial problems, while allowing her to live out her dreams of making music. Claire and Mike are both a bit odd and have their quirks, but they seem perfect for one another. As the two perform and spend time together, their love grows stronger. They also become local celebrities in their Milwaukee area, and receive some surprising invitations to perform. But just as everything appears to be looking up with no limit in sight, tragedy strikes and they are put to the test, with their love for one another and their shared passion for music helping them to navigate the hardships.

Song Sung Blue feels like a big, throwback Oscar-nominated feel-good film, which takes viewers on an emotional rollercoaster ride. The Oscar nominations will be announced in a few days, and I will be shocked if this isn’t nominated for many awards. The film features stellar performances from stars Hugh Jackman & Kate Hudson! The joy and constant upbeat attitudes of their characters is infectious. They are quirky and odd but seem made for one another. Mike and Claire just love to entertain and want to make this a full time thing rather than just a side job, and working with the one they love just makes it all the better! I wasn’t familiar with their story, so I was just expecting a happy underdog story, but it’s so much more than that. As things take an emotional turn, you are at the point where you really care for and root for these characters, so any hardships hit that much harder. However, the film maintains a positive, uplifting and upbeat tone as it tells this story about love, hope and following one’s dreams.

Song Sung Blue comes from writer/director Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow, The Poor & Hungry) and is based on the award-winning 2008 documentary of the same name by Greg Kohs. This story takes some crazy twists and turns that seem unbelievable, but surprisingly these things really did happen to the real Mike and Claire! The movie is also loaded with amazing musical performances by both Jackman and Hudson, as well as some of the other actors—who knew Michael Imperioli, whose character Mark Shurilla is a Buddy Holly impersonator, could sing?! As someone who grew up with the cassette of Neil Diamond’s The Jazz Singer constantly playing in my father’s Datsun, I couldn’t help but sing along to this movie in my head—by the end, I was even singing along to the song “Soolaimon”, which I had never heard of before this movie.

If you’re not familiar with Mike and Claire’s story, I suggest not reading up on them and not watching the documentary first. Go in cold and enjoy the crazy twists and unexpected emotional journey.

Universal has released Song Sung Blue on Digital, and it will be coming to Blu-ray & DVD on February 17. I was sent a digital code for this review. The 4K presentation looks and sounds amazing. The picture is clean with an excellent level of detail, especially in close-ups of faces, or in the textures of the costumes. The color palette is rich, and helps to evoke the era of the film. The Atmos audio track provides clear dialogue and an immersive viewing experience throughout, and really showcases the film’s stellar musical performances, and captures the acoustics of the various venues they play. The release contains two extended musical preferences, 18 minutes of behind-the-scenes featurettes with the cast and crew, and a writer/director commentary track.

What’s Included:
Specs may vary by provider

Film: (2:12:32)

• 2160p / Widescreen 1.85:1
• Dolby Vision / HDR10
• Audio: English Dolby Atmos, Spanish Dolby Digital, French Dolby Digital
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Extras:

• Extended Performances: (7:27)
  Watch extended versions of two of the film’s musical performances without the interruptions and dialogue that appear during these scenes in the final film. Play All, or select from:
  • Crunchy Granola Suite (3:28)
  • Sweet Caroline (3:59)
• One Plus One Equals Three (5:22)
  The cast and crew talk about the love story at the heart of the film, and the chemistry between the actors. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with writer/director/producer Craig Brewer and stars Hugh Jackman (“Mike” / “Lightning”) & Kate Hudson (“Claire” / “Thunder”).
• Lightning In a Bottle (9:54)
  The cast and crew talk about how the film came about, the original documentary it’s based on, casting the movie, the musical performances, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with writer/director/producer Craig Brewer, producer John Davis, executive music producer/composer Scott Bomar, and stars Hugh Jackman, Ella Anderson (“Rachel”), Kate Hudson & King Princess (“Angelina”).
• Eye For Style (3:26)
  The cast and crew talk about finding the look and style for Mike and Claire. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with costume designer Ernesto Martinez, writer/director/producer Craig Brewer, and stars Hugh Jackman & Kate Hudson.
• Feature Commentary (2:12:12)
  Writer/Director Craig Brewer provides an entertaining and informative commentary throughout the film. He talks about his writing process, casting the movie, the music, the original documentary, and more. He shares lots of behind-the-scenes stories about the production, and points out Easter eggs, and other trivia.
• Trailer (2:24)

Final Thoughts:

Song Sung Blue is a delightful and emotional feel-good film that features stellar humorous, dramatic and musical performances by leads Hugh Jackman & Kate Hudson, who have excellent chemistry with one another. I saw this in the theater and at home, and loved every minute of it both times. It takes the viewer on an emotional roller coaster ride, and features lots of great Neil Diamond music. Universal’s 4K digital release looks and sounds amazing, and includes some entertaining bonus material. This is a must own for any fan of the cast or of Neil Diamond music in general. I hope the film gets nominated for and takes home many of this year’s Oscars, because this one really deserves it!