Seriously Red was one of my favourite Australian movies of 2022 in that it focused on the interesting lives of music impersonators.  The characters were fictitious, but the industry is real.  It’s arguably more eye-opening than a biopic about a famous musician, such as the recent Bruce Springsteen film, because these folk aren’t known celebrities.  We’re following people who could never generate fame and fortune from their own work and so they mimic the talents of others.  It allows them to scratch their own burning artistic itch while, hopefully, putting a smile on audiences’ faces.

Song Sung Blue explores the same world but with a more commercial scope.  It’s got star power with Oscar nominees Hugh Jackman (Les Misérables) and Kate Hudson (Almost Famous), it has a $30 million budget, and it’s set in the United States.  Most importantly, it’s based on a true story, and this adds a layer of credibility.  It’s also a relief because there are parts I would have otherwise dismissed as cheesy nonsense – such as a scene involving Eddie Vedder!  A few details have been changed to make the narrative fit a 2-hour running time but the more I read about the real-life individuals, the more I realise their essence has been nicely captured by writer-director Craig Brewer (Hustle and Flow).

It was in 1987 that Mike Sardina (Jackman) and Claire Stingl (Hudson) met for the first time.  They both loved performing on stage but realised they were never going to succeed with their own songs.  Hence, they created a tribute band called “Lightning and Thunder” with Mike imitating/interpreting the iconic Neil Diamond and Claire channelling the late country-pop singer Patsy Cline.  They didn’t set world on fire, nor did it bring them significant wealth, but it made them happy.  They developed a small, passionate fan base in Wisconsin and across their two decades together, there were some fun highs… and a few dark lows.

I’ve said it countless times, but I like seeing good things happen to good people.  The script deserves credit but the cast, from the leads through to the supporting players, do a stellar job in portraying them as “good people”.  Yes, there’s drama and tragedy, but the film wisely avoids including a formulaic villain (such as a dodgy manager or enabling drug dealer).  They’re likeable characters and you want them to succeed.

The Pearl Jam concert was the film’s highlight for me – a beautiful, stirring moment where Mike and Claire reach the top of the mountain after much adversity.  The camera lens zooms in on friends and family members in the audience, and their joyous reactions adds to the emotional impact.  I also enjoyed the injection of humour as evidenced by Mike’s desire to open his shows with the lesser-known song “Soolaiman” as opposed to the over-played “Sweet Caroline.”

Likely to generate fresh interest in the music of Neil Diamond, Song Sung Blue is story I’m glad has been brought to the big screen.