Hugh Jackman shines but the story plays it a little too safe

SONG SUNG BLUE

(12A) 132mins

★★★★☆

THIS big-hearted crowd-pleaser about a Neil Diamond tribute act proves you don’t need stadiums, spotlights, or global fame to live the showbiz dream.

Warm, funny, and surprisingly moving, it features far more narrative twists and turns than one might expect.

Based on the remarkable true story first told in the 2008 documentary of the same name, the story ­follows Mike and Claire, who are portrayed with immense charm and vulnerability by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson.

They are a working-class couple juggling the complexities of family life, when they decide to join forces to form Neil Diamond tribute duo Lightning and Thunder.

Mike, a Vietnam veteran and recovering alcoholic, finds comfort and renewed purpose in the music, while Claire, once a successful Patsy Cline impersonator, proves to be the perfect stage and life partner for Mike.

As their partnership flourishes, so does their local fame, eventually pulling them into a colourful world where their act is admired by the likes of Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder (John Beckwith), who eventually invites the duo to join him on his sold-out tour.

Elsewhere, Ella Anderson provides a grounded performance as Rachel Cartwright, Claire’s daughter from her first marriage, while Jim Belushi shines as Tom D’Amato, Lightning and Thunder’s manager.

Writer and director Craig Brewer expertly steers the story away from cheap laughs or parody, by delivering a sincere, uplifting look at ordinary people chasing joy.

While the original documentary leaned into the inherent oddness of this musical subculture, Brewer focuses on the emotional reality hidden behind the torch songs and sequins.

The performances are the primary reason Song Sung Blue works so effectively.

Jackman is terrific, totally convincing as Mike, a man who may never be a global superstar but possesses undeniable talent.

Hudson is equally strong, giving Claire depth, warmth, and grit.

Her singing is powerful and authentic, and the chemistry between the two leads feels entirely natural.

Ultimately, this is a story about second chances, resilience, and the courage to keep believing in yourself. It is a feel-good winner that hits all the right notes.

SENTIMENTAL VALUE

(15) 133mins

★★★★☆

THIS deeply moving drama, directed and co-written by Joachim Trier, is about family, memory and the complicated ways in which people can hurt each other.

Set in Oslo, it follows sisters Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) as they navigate grief after their mother’s death and the sudden return of their absent father, Gustav.

Nora, an actress, is struggling with stage fright, while Agnes lives a settled life with her husband and son. Their father, played by Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård, is a filmmaker whose career is fading.

His attempts to reconnect are often hurtful, especially when he announces plans to make a film inspired by his own mother’s suicide and asks Nora to star in it.

Reinsve gives Nora a raw edge, capturing her fear and vulnerability. When an American (Elle Fanning) is brought in to replace Nora, the film explores ideas about art, compromise and the fickle nature of showbiz.

The final part is deeply moving, offering under­standing rather than forgiveness.

A thoughtful, quietly devastating tale that shows how those closest to us can hurt us the most.

LM

PETER HUJAR’S DAY

(12A) 76mins

★★★★☆

SET in 1970s New York, this biographical drama features Bond actor Ben Whishaw as influential photographer Peter Hujar, while Rebecca Hall plays writer Linda Rosenkrantz, whose rediscovered interview transcripts make up the crux of the film.

What starts as a simple conversation unfolds into a rich portrait of an artist, a city and a moment in American LGBT cultural history.

As Rosenkrantz asks Hujar to recount the events of a single day in full detail, the film captures the highs and lows of creative life in the Big Apple during the Seventies by portraying the mundane alongside the profound.

Hujar’s interactions with figures such as Allen Ginsberg and Andy Warhol are told with a mischievous glint in the eye.

Whishaw captures Hujar’s sharp wit, guarded vulnerability, and impressive intellect with remarkable precision.

Hall is as brilliant as ever, giving a performance that is as complex as it is decidedly in control.

Director Ira Sachs evokes a vanished New York art scene with elegance and a fondness for bygone times.

LM