Song Sung Blue Parent Guide

Mike (Hugh Jackman) works as an auto mechanic, but he lives to sing. A recovering alcoholic, divorced, and traumatized by his service in Vietnam, Mike anchors himself by creating a musical persona. “They call me Lightning,” he says, “Like Chuck Berry, Barry Manilow, and the Beatles all rolled into one.” His dentist doubles as his manager, booking him into small gigs and although his performances are well received, he feels stuck.

Then he meets Claire.

Claire is also on the Milwaukee music circuit, where she does a mean Patsy Cline impersonation. The two hit it off and Claire makes a suggestion that changs their lives: what if Mike starts performing Neil Diamond’s music?

The idea catches fire and soon Mike and Claire are tearing up the Milwaukee music scene, playing bars, casinos, and fairs. When they are tapped to open for a Pearl Jam concert, it looks like Lightning and Thunder have finally hit the big time. Then tragedy strikes, and the future of Lightning and Thunder comes second to the survival of their relationship. “What” asks Mike plaintively, “does a duo do if one doesn’t want to do what the other’s doing?”

If you seek out touching movies about second chances, overcoming heartbreak, and triumphing over tragedy, Song Sung Blue is the film for you. If you want a real-life love story that will make you laugh and cry, buy a ticket for Song Sung Blue. And if you love Neil Diamond’s music, run, don’t walk, to the theater for this film. Even if you’re not a diehard Neil Diamond fan, I dare you to sit through this movie without dancing in your seat and singing along to Sweet Caroline. The film is as irresistible as the music, and that’s saying a lot.

This production is rooted in a heart-tugging true story, but it also benefits from the iconic music and a wonderful cast. Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson create characters we understand, care about, and root for – especially when life keeps knocking them down. Even the secondary cast members are excellent: there are no weak players here.

The only issue with this film is PG-13 levels of negative content. There’s a passionate scene of a married couple making out and disrobing, but no explicit nudity or sex on screen. Over a dozen profanities include a single sexual expletive, which drops our grade but is still a relatively small swear count. In addition, there are some troubling scenes featuring teenagers, including illegal marijuana use and a subplot involving a teen pregnancy. Violence is minor, with a fistfight and some heckling but the most troubling content are injuries that are briefly seen in a medical context. None of this material is excessive for teens, but I’m not sure many of them are interested in a biopic of singers who cover music from the 60s and 70s. Adults, on the other hand, will probably get a kick out of this film, which ably mixes musical nostalgia with an authentic, relatable story that bears out Neil Diamond’s lyrics to the titular song: “You can sing it with a cry in your voice And before you know, it started feeling good You simply got no choice.”

About author

Kirsten Hawkes

Kirsten Hawkes has a BA in Political Science and English and has worked in international development and medical education and marketing. Kirsten enjoys reading, watching movies, and debating politics with her husband and sometimes unwilling children.