SONG SUNG BLUE (2025)

December 22, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. ‘Do what you love’ and ‘Pursue your passion.’ That’s the traditional advice we give youngsters, so they won’t grow up to live a mundane life filled with regrets. Perhaps there is no better example of living your dream than the real-life love story of Mike Sardina and Claire Stengl-Sardina. These two Milwaukee residents not only found a path to sing on stage, they also found true love with each other.

Writer-director Craig Brewer (the underrated DOLEMITE IS MY NAME, 2019) was inspired by watching the 2008 documentary by Greg Kohs with the same title and same subject. Speaking of inspired, the casting of Hugh Jackman as Mike (or as he prefers to be called, Lightning) and Kate Hudson as Claire certainly qualifies. Their harmony is obvious in both their singing and their acting. We first see Mike at an AA meeting, celebrating 20 years sober. He then heads to the Wisconsin State Fair where he is scheduled to take part in a musical legends program. Only he refuses to fulfill his duties as Don Ho, but does take notice of Claire and her performance as the great Patsy Cline.

It’s Mike who envisions the two being billed as Lighting (him) and Thunder (her), but it’s Claire who pitches the idea of a Neil Diamond ‘interpretation’ … as opposed to an impressionist. If you are fan, you know that Neil Diamond was a prolific songwriter with hundreds of songs from his career spanning more than five decades. Even if you aren’t a Neil Diamond fan, you are likely to know many of the songs – especially “Sweet Caroline”, which is a bit of a running gag in the film (and in real life as well).

Filmmaker Brewer brilliantly mixes the pursuit of stage fame with the blended personal family life – two teenage daughters, Rachel (a terrific Ella Anderson) and Angelina (King Princess), and a young son, Dana (Hudson Hensley). The family moments ground the film and allow us to accept the human side of Mike and Claire – especially after tragedy and near tragedy strike. Other supporting work is provided by Jim Belushi, Fisher Stevens, Michael Imperioli, and Mustafa Shakir.

There is an excellent sequence where Mike and Claire get to open for Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam when the grunge band’s tour hits Milwaukee. This is one of the feel good moments – and there are a few of these, as well as a few that don’t feel quite so good. Mental issues, physical issues, and personal issues all create obstacles for these folks, and yet the dreams stay alive. Hugh Jackman is all in as Mike, and yet it’s Kate Hudson who is the memorable one with both her performance and her surprisingly elite singing voice. Ms. Hudson’s performance in ALMOST FAMOUS (2000) will always be iconic, however, she built a career doing many films of which I’m not particularly fond. Her work here is awards-worthy … or as Mike would say, “Huge”. The film is a crowd-pleaser that’s neither corny nor lame. Brewer includes a closing shot of the real Mike and Claire as the credits roll.

Opens in theaters on Christmas Day, December 25, 2025

WATCH THE TRAILER

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Posted by David Ferguson

KATIE SAYS GOODBYE (2017)

June 6, 2019

 Greetings again from the darkness. This little gem played at the 2017 Dallas International Film Festival, and at that time, I wrote about how writer/director Wayne Roberts was one of the new and most exciting filmmakers to burst on the scene. Now, more than two years later, the film is finally getting the distribution it deserves, and I still worry there will be those who decry another film exploiting women as a victim of society. I also still stand behind my case that there is another way to view the story of Katie, a good-hearted dreamer played beautifully by Olivia Cooke (“Bates Motel”, THOROUGHBREDS, READY PLAYER ONE).

Initially, Katie’s unflappable optimism seems unlikely, if not impossible. She walks miles to work along a dusty highway. She lives in a trailer park with her deadbeat mother (Mireille Enos), whom she supports both financially and emotionally. She works double-shifts as a waitress at a truck stop, where she’s known to toss in a couple extra bucks when a particularly frugal customer stiffs the other waitress. She also works a side job as a prostitute for locals and a regular trucker named Bear (Jim Belushi). Despite a life filled with *stuff*, Katie doggedly pursues her dream of saving enough money to move to San Francisco and become a hair stylist. Of course, since she’s cursed with a heart of gold, she has to save enough money for her own trip AND for her mother to live on. Her dream seems lofty, yet almost achievable.

When Katie falls for Bruno (Christopher Abbott), the new guy in town, she tries her best to fall in love and pull him into her dreams for a better life. It doesn’t take long before Bruno is made aware of Katie’s side job, and her fantasy world begins to crumble. On a daily basis, Katie happily (of course) drinks up the truck stop wisdom of diner owner Maybelle (Mary Steenburgen), who spouts such gems as “A man with a smile will hurt you”. Good intentions abound here, but we realize … even if Katie doesn’t … that the reality of people’s self-interest is the immovable object that so often tears down the dreamers of the world.

As with much of life, one’s enjoyment of the film is likely contingent upon the perspective you bring. A caustic, cynical view will have you waving off Katie’s lot in life as exploitive movie-making; while those who can share even a spoonful of Katie’s spirit, will find themselves rooting exuberantly for her dreams to come true … or at least to sustain her refreshing outlook on life and people. Director Roberts recently released his newest, THE PROFESSOR, starring Johnny Depp. He remains a filmmaker to follow.

watch the trailer:

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Posted by David Ferguson

WONDER WHEEL (2017)

December 7, 2017

 Greetings again from the darkness. It’s worth saying again – Woody Allen (age 82), regardless of what you think of him personally, is remarkable in his ability to create, write and direct a new movie each and every year. That being said, after watching his latest, it should be noted that he is the one filmmaker who really shouldn’t ever write a story with a step-daughter as a character … especially if romance is involved. Sometimes we just can’t separate the art from the artist, no matter how hard we try.

The setting is Coney Island in the 1950’s, and our narrator is a charming lifeguard recounting the ‘one summer’ story of a carousel operator, his beaten-down (and beaten-up) wife, and a surprise visit from the husband’s adult daughter. The lifeguard is Mickey, a dreamer and would-be writer played by Justin Timberlake. The carousel operator is known as Humpty and is an alcoholic lout played by Jim Belushi, while his wife Ginny, disillusioned that life has crushed her dreams, is played by Kate Winslet. Humpty’s daughter Carolina (Juno Temple) is on the run from her mobster husband, and seems to cause trouble without really trying. Ginny’s young son Richie (Jack Gore) also lives with them. He is a pyromaniac and movie fanatic – two pastimes effective at avoiding school.

Director Allen utilizes a beautiful color palette combined with nostalgic sounds and music to create a look that he then blends with a story and performances that seem to intentionally knock-off Tennessee Williams. Belushi, Timblerake and Winslet in particular come across as overly-theatrical in their approach to heavy dialogue – these characters are defined more by what they say than what they do.

Ginny plots to keep Humpty off the booze so he doesn’t hit her; all the while, she is sneaking off to enjoy the talents of the young lifeguard who lacks the fortitude to prevent her from falling too hard. Humpty is thrilled for a do-over with Carolina and reverts to treating her as his little girl … despite the mob contract lingering over her head. It’s impossible to miss the similarities between the redheaded Richie and young Alvy from Mr. Allen’s classic ANNIE HALL (who described living under the Cyclone).

As Ginny half-efforts parenting her troubled young son, she also juggles the guilt she carries from cheating on her first husband. Simultaneously, Mickey the lifeguard starts falling for Carolina, as the mobsters close in. Periodically Woody flashes his writing brilliance, as in this exchange between Carolina and Mickey: She says, “You’ve been around the world”, and he responds, “Yeah, but you’ve been around the block.” So despite the look and feel of nostalgia, the themes are timeless … cheating and abusive spouse, disillusioned adults, and youngsters rebelling in hopes of attracting attention.

The too-often blustery dialogue syncs with the too-often over-acting, yet cinematographer Vittorio Storaro (winner of 3 Oscars – APOCALYPSE NOW, REDS, THE LAST EMPEROR) keeps things visually appealing throughout. The only “quiet” moments occur as Richie is lighting yet another fire. Recurring issues of migraines, booze, stress, moodiness, and rain are prevalent, and perhaps the saving grace is that we are left singing Jo Stafford’s “You Belong to Me”.

watch the trailer:

 

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Posted by David Ferguson