Song Sung Blue

"Inspired by a legend. Bound by a dream."

2025 2h 13m EN

👍

7.4

SOLID

★7.4TMDB · 329

MusicRomanceDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Based on a true story, two down-on-their-luck musicians form a joyous Neil Diamond tribute band, proving it's never too late to find love and follow your dreams.

“Inspired by a legend. Bound by a dream.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Hugh Jackman
Mike Sardina
Kate Hudson
Claire Sardina
Michael Imperioli
Mark Shurilla
Fisher Stevens
Dr. Dave Watson
Jim Belushi
Tom D'Amato
Ella Anderson
Rachel
King Princess
Angelina
Mustafa Shakir
Sex Machine

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Craig Brewer
Writers: Craig Brewer, Greg Kohs
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released last year.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Craig Brewer, shot by Amy Vincent. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Scott Bomar. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Billy Fox shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson and Michael Imperioli carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Inspired by a legend. Bound by a dream.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt30343021 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Craig Brewer directs. Amy Vincent behind the camera. Scott Bomar scores. Billy Fox cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released last year.
2Directed by Craig Brewer, shot by Amy Vincent. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Scott Bomar. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Billy Fox shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson and Michael Imperioli carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Inspired by a legend. Bound by a dream.".
7IMDB entry: tt30343021 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 8 themes, including "wisconsin", "based on true story", "based on movie", "milwaukee wisconsin".

The technical file

Cinematography: Amy Vincent
Original score: Scott Bomar
Editing: Billy Fox
Production design: Clay A. Griffith
Costume design: Ernesto Martinez
Makeup / hair: Anouck Sullivan
VFX supervisor: Luke DiTommaso
Sound: Jacob Ribicoff
Stunt coordinator: Chris Cenatiempo
Runtime: 133 min · 2h 13m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $30,000,000
Box office: $57,889,762
Return: 193% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: Song Sung Blue (2025)

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Craig Brewer

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Brent Marchant2025-12-13
★ 6/10
Love stories are among one of the most common and most popular staples in the movie industry, and they can make for some of the best viewing when handled properly. But that handling is the key – if done well, it can yield moving and satisfying films. However, if mistreated, it can doom such releases significantly. And that, unfortunately, is what drags down the latest offering from writer-director Craig Brewer, an uneven, formulaic, manipulative and melodramatic fact-based romantic biopic about the lives of musical partners Mike Sardina (Hugh Jackman) and Claire Stingl (Kate Hudson). Based on director Greg Kohs’s 2008 documentary of the same name, this narrative feature tells the story of the performing duo of Lightning and Thunder, a couple that made a name for themselves in their hometown of Milwaukee and the surrounding area as a tribute band specializing in the music of Neil Diamond and, to a lesser extent, Patsy Cline. Theirs is a story of second chances, each having suffered setbacks in their married lives the first time around, as well as personal challenges, such as Mike’s battle with alcoholism and heart disease and Claire’s bout with depression. But both of them fought back, finding recovery in their music and in love, helping them each get back on their feet and enabling them to assist one another when new challenges arise. From that description, it would seem that such a premise should provide the basis for a solid love story. But, as noted above, the picture’s uneven handling and somewhat mawkish treatment undermine its potential for greatness. The lighthearted, storybook first half, for example, sets a tone that can’t support the more serious second half, forcing it to subsequently rely on calculated shifts in the direction of the narrative to make it work. In addition, the kitsch factor that drives the Neil Diamond repertoire at the outset is skillfully presented, if a bit overdone, at times approaching the format of a concert movie with incidental scenes interspersed to move the picture forward. But, when the film takes a darker tone, it comes across as incongruent with what preceded it, making viewers wonder how the two halves of the same story could have been combined in the same picture. To its credit, the performances of the songs are a genuine homage to the musicians being honored in this film, and the portrayals of the two leads are quite commendable, particularly that of Golden Globe Award nominee Kate Hudson. But, overall, there’s not enough here to make this one of those memorable Hollywood love stories that viewers will fondly recall for years to come, and that in itself truly is a song sung blue.
CinemaSerf2026-01-05
★ 7/10
Mike (Hugh Jackman a.k.a. “Huge”) ekes out a living doing the tribute act circuit in Milwaukee and that’s where he meets Claire (Kate Hudson). She is trying to support her family, he’s a recovering alcoholic and it’s safe to say that neither are really fulfilled - until, he hits on the idea of a team approach to the works of Neil Diamond. With such an extensive back catalogue including “Sweet Caroline” how could they fail? Well their first gig as “Lightning and Thunder” is for a group of leather-clad bikers and so “Soolaimon” (no, me neither) doesn’t prove the best way to start a gig so much as a brawl. Reconvening, dusted down and targeting a less hostile audience though, they start to achieve some success and even open for “Pearl Jam”. Then as she is digging her garden, a rogue driver puts Claire in hospital and leaves her confidence shattered. With the also ailing Mike now working to keep the four of them and she reduced to the role of painkiller-fuelled couch potato, the question is now - can they regroup and pick-up where they left off, or will it all end up on the rocks? Jackman is fine here, but it’s really Hudson who steals the show with her personable performance - both on stage and when she’s in recovery mode. They both do their own singing and sensibly, Jackman doesn’t try to mimic Diamond as he turns out his hits whilst she accompanies gently on keys and vocals as well as getting toes a-tapping with a few country songs too. It’s not a biopic of Neil Diamond in any way, shape or form but it is one of two talented people who fell in love, hit the skids a few times but tried to persevere - enjoying themselves and entertaining us as they went. Did you know that “Cracklin’ Rosie” was actually about wine?