The movie, Song Sung Blue was released in theaters on December 25, 2025 and made available to rent or buy on services like Amazon Prime on January 13, 2026. Recently, it was also made available on streaming services, such as Peacock, on February 13, 2026. The movie, based on a true story, follows the life and relationship of Mike Sardina (Hugh Jackman) and Claire Cartwright (Kate Hudson) as they work to form a Neil Diamond cover band to help better their financial situations.

In the beginning, I was disappointed to discover the movie was not actually about Neil Diamond’s life, but a Neil Diamond cover band. Once I was able to get past that, I did enjoy the movie. 

I thought the casting was done well. I was impressed by Hudson’s performance as Claire as the character went through several extreme emotional shifts, making her family and Mike’s confusion and stress feel much more understandable. Similarly, Jackman did well portraying the eccentric, yet sometimes troubled, Mike Sardina. Other supporting characters such as Rachel (Ella Anderson),Claire’s daughter, were also played well and the on-screen connection between Mike and Rachel as they got closer added warmth to the film.

Perhaps the greatest part of the movie, though, was the music. I had heard some of Neil Diamond’s more popular music prior to watching the movie, relating to many other viewers in this sense. Though I had heard songs like “Sweet Caroline” and “Forever in Blue Jeans,” I loved being exposed to more of his repertoire. I thought the songs were added tastefully throughout the film, and I listened to more of his music on my own time. I was also pleased to discover their vocals did not take away from the movie. 

Although overall I enjoyed the movie and can now join my mom as a Neil Diamond fan, there were certain parts of the movie that I did not enjoy. I felt parts of the plot moved too quickly and felt rushed, experiencing a sort of viewing whiplash as Mike and Claire’s relationship progressed and different events seemed like they came out of nowhere. That said, because it is based on a true story, perhaps that is actually how it happened. I must also consider the time restraint, a little over two hours, to cover the events of peoples’ lives. In the strict context of the movie though, it was kind of an emotional rollercoaster, especially at the end.

I laughed, cried, and was even angry at times, but ultimately, I liked the movie. I think that whether or not I would recommend it to someone else would depend on the person, just because It is not a movie for everybody, just like Neil Diamond himself isn’t for everybody, and Neil Diamond cover bands are even more so not for everybody, but it was a beautiful story with good music. In the end, I would rate it a six and a half out of ten.