The Craziest Thing About Song Sung Blue Is That It Happened

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Spoilers ahead for the plot and ending of Song Sung Blue.

The new movie Song Sung Blue definitely explores some sad themes, and it’s actually even more melancholy than the title suggests. Based on a 2008 documentary, the film stars Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson as Mike and Claire Sardina, the couple who perform as the Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning & Thunder. While it’s ultimately an inspiring story about their unexpected success and lasting relationship, Song Sung Blue is surprisingly strange and complex. It features plenty of familiar biopic moments and great Neil Diamond songs, but also delves into some very unusual territory, ending in a way that’s reminiscent of films like Black Swan and All That Jazz.

The film’s central events are based on a true story, but it’s not a strict documentary like the earlier film Song Sung Blue (2008). The director’s biggest change is compressing the timeline: what took almost twenty years in real life happens over just three years for the characters Mike and Claire in Song Sung Blue. Set in the early to mid-1990s, the film marks the passage of time through Mike’s ‘sober birthdays,’ which he celebrates with performances of the title song, appearing at the beginning and end. In this adaptation of the Sardinas’ story, everything happens fast. Mike and Claire meet, form the band Lightning & Thunder, quickly gain local fame in Milwaukee, and even open for Pearl Jam. Soon after, the story takes a dramatic turn when Claire is hit by a car and loses her leg below the knee.

That’s essentially what occurred, though the dates are slightly adjusted – the Pearl Jam concert was in 1995 and the accident in 1999. This is where the film Song Sung Blue starts to feel increasingly surreal, reminiscent of Darren Aronofsky’s work. When Claire’s daughter, Rachel, rushes to the hospital worried about her mother, Mike shockingly reveals he has a heart problem and instructs Rachel on how to use a defibrillator on him if he collapses, instead of calling a doctor. Back at home, Claire struggles to recover, battling depression and hallucinations. While it’s not quite as intense as Requiem for a Dream, the connection is clear. At one point, lost in a drug-induced haze, she believes she’s on stage and performs as her Patsy Cline persona, singing “Sweet Dreams.” In reality, she’s having a breakdown on her front lawn, leading to a stay in a psychiatric facility. The film depicts increasingly disturbing events, and the line between reality and fantasy becomes blurred. A scene where Claire is almost hit by a second car mirrors a dream sequence – but unbelievably, it actually happened, and was even reported by local Milwaukee news with the headline “Lightning Strikes Twice.”

The story’s ending blends fact and fiction. After Claire recovers, Lightning & Thunder get their biggest opportunity yet: headlining a sold-out show at the Ritz, deliberately scheduled against a concert by the famous Diamond at a much larger arena. Even though their crowd might be made up of people who couldn’t get tickets to Diamond’s show, the band sees it as the most important night of their career. To top it off, they’re finally going to meet Diamond after their performances at a local frozen-custard stand. While practicing what to say to his idol, Mike suffers another heart problem, passes out, and hits his head. Instead of calling for help, he glues the wound shut and goes to the show. The concert is a huge success, and Lightning & Thunder finally get the enthusiastic reception they’ve always dreamed of. Claire excitedly declares they were “just as big as Pearl Jam” on the drive to meet Diamond. However, when she gets out of the car to greet fans at the frozen-custard stand, she realizes Mike isn’t with her. He has tragically succumbed to his head injury in the backseat.

The real Mike Sardina lived until 2006, long after the events shown in the movie. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, he fell and hit his head a week before his death, but refused to see a doctor. Despite feeling increasingly unwell, he and his wife still performed at a baseball game. On the drive home, his condition worsened, and he was hospitalized, eventually falling into a coma he never recovered from. Doctors determined he died from bleeding in his brain. While the movie takes some creative liberties, the main points are remarkably true to life: Mike suffered a head injury, prioritized performing over getting medical help, and ultimately died as a result.

While a good biopic doesn’t need to be a completely accurate retelling of events, Song Sung Blue feels surprisingly dramatic considering it’s based on a true story—sometimes real life is just that unbelievable. The film’s director adds to this strange feeling with noticeable stylistic choices. For example, when the main character, Mike, takes the stage for his final performance, he’s presented almost like a religious figure, similar to how the characters in other films by the same director, like The Wrestler, are portrayed. Like a performer sacrificing everything for one last show, Mike gives his best performance while struggling with immense pain. However, Song Sung Blue is more heartwarming than those darker films, suggesting Mike is motivated more by his love for Claire than by a desire for fame. The movie ends on a touching note, with Claire singing at Mike’s funeral and his stepson, Dayna, singing along to a recording of a happy memory. Despite the film’s dramatic moments, it ultimately reminds us that the man known as Lightning was a real person who left behind people who loved him.

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2025-12-24 17:55