Film Review – Song Sung Blue

“Song Sung Blue” was previously realized as a 2008 documentary about the singing duo Thunder and Lightning, and their unusual story of perseverance and profound love for the music of Neil Diamond. The Greg Kohs-directed feature attracted some attention on the film festival circuit, but now writer/director Craig Brewer (who previously helmed “Coming 2 America” and “My Name is Dolemite”) is hoping to bring a small Wisconsin story to the big time with a new look at the couple’s experience. “Song Sung Blue” contains no grit, moving forward as a big, juicy audience-pleaser that’s filled with sing-along music and simple feelings. The movie hopes to tap into the thrill of Diamond’s songs and the turns of life that came for Thunder and Lightning. It’s an incredible tale (listed here as “based on a true love story”), but Brewer is much too manipulative and melodramatic with the picture, preferring gloss and predictability to a more realistic depiction of endurance and obsession. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com