Song Sung Blue

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?