We’ve been treated to some great musical biopics recently, including Jeremy Allen White's Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere and Timothée Chalamet’s A Complete Unknown. Giving us another contribution before we switch over to the 2026 movie calendar is Hugh Jackman in Song Sung Blue, the story of Mike and Claire Sardina, aka the Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning & Thunder. Critics have seen the movie ahead of its Christmas Day release, and they mostly agree it’s a little hokey, a little heartbreaking but irresistible nonetheless.
The critical acclaim for this one started even before its release to theaters, with Kate Hudson being nominated for a 2026 Golden Globe, which her co-star called “richly deserved.” That’s an opinion that Kristy Puchko of Mashable shares, calling the actress’ performance “absolutely extraordinary.” Director Craig Brewer somehow delivers both a feel-good movie and a good tearjerker, the critic says, writing:
