Song Sung Blue is a Masterpiece of American Cinema

 

On Friday night, I went to the Kendall Square Cinema to take in a screening of Song Sung Blue.

If you are familiar with the discography of Neil Diamond, you will know the song. However, Song Sung Blue is not about Neil Diamond though it is inspired by him. The focal point of Song Sung Blue are Mike and Claire Sardina, a husband-and-wife combo, who performed as Lightning and Thunder in Milwaukee, Chicago and throughout the Midwest with a repertoire of songs by Neil Diamond, Patsy Cline and ABBA. The Sardinas are portrayed by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson in career defining performances in a masterpiece of American cinema written and directed by Craig Brewer.

The Sardinas are portrayed as a pair of struggling musicians who hit lightning in a bottle when they meet and discover a shared affection for Neil Diamond's music. The pair slowly gain a following and a legion of admirers including Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder who joins them onstage to sing "Forever in Blue Jeans". Tragically, their momentum is brought to a halt when Claire is struck by a car outside their family home losing a leg in the process which begins a descent into darkness. In time, the pair rebound and make a comeback only for it to be curtailed by Mike's death following a head injury sustained after a heart attack.

This is not a film for the faint of heart. It is not easy to watch this amount of pain. But beneath the pain is the sunshine of Neil Diamond's music and a support system of friends who sustain them in their time of trouble. Michael Imperioli, Fisher Stevens, Jim Belushi and Mustafa Shakir turn in warm performances as local Milwaukee figures Mark Shurilla, Dave Watson, Tom D'Amato and James Brown impersonator Sex Machine, respectively. Ella Anderson also turns in a formidable performance as Claire's daughter Ella who tries to keep the family together despite an unwanted pregnancy of her own.

Even if one is disinclined towards Neil Diamond's music there is a compelling story here. A pair of struggling musicians find a niche, make it work, only to have it stripped away from them, build it back up only to lose it again. I can only hope this will be enough for Academy Award voters who seem to tend towards bombardment of mile a minute action and constant cuts. I suspect the film will get some nominations although I think Hudson has the best chance of securing a statue as she fully embraces middle age.

There should also be some gold for the music. Jackman, Hudson and company's interpretation of songs like "Soolaimon", "Crunchy Granola Suite", "Holly Holy" and, of course, "Sweet Caroline" are good enough for them to go out on tour. I would certainly pay for a ticket to see the show. I'm sure Neil Diamond would if he could.

As for Song Sung Blue, I would make the case that it is among the best films to be released this century now a quarter old.