Song Sung Blue’s Phenomenal Performances—Plus Four Other Musical Tributes

Craig Brewer’s Song Sung Blue recreates the amazing real-life story of Mike and Claire Sardina (Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson), who came together to form Lightning and Thunder, but stayed together to create a remarkable life. “Brewer’s captivating retelling of the triumphs and tribulations of a Neil Diamond tribute act is grounded in real feeling and irresistibly rousing music,” writes The Hollywood Reporter, adding, “Most of all, it’s held aloft by winning performances from an ideally paired Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson.”

To celebrate those performances, we are remembering four other films fueled by exceptional musicians and their performances.

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Piece By Piece

In Piece By Piece, documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville chronicles the life and music of Pharrell Williams as a LEGO® animation. “When I had this crazy vision to tell this story through Lego bricks, I couldn’t have imagined a better partner than Morgan,” Williams explained in a press release in Variety. The resulting collaboration is a magical mystery tour that follows Pharrell from growing up in Virginia Beach to emerging as a musical superstar and fashion icon to finally discovering the importance of being happy. Time Out writes, “it’s a colorful journey lit up with great tunes and a deep love of music—an ingenious, infectious new spin on the music doc.”

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The Ballad of Wallis Island

In The Ballad of Wallis Island—directed by James Griffiths and co-written by Tom Basden and Tim Key—Charles (Key) offers his musical idol, Herb McGwyer (Basden), a hefty sum to perform on the remote island where he lives. Unfortunately, McGwyer does not know that his eccentric benefactor has also invited his old musical partner and ex-flame, Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan), nor that the two will be performing an intimate concert just for Charles. The awkward arrangement pushes McGwyer to take stock of his career and rediscover his love of music. In the film, the songs—all written by Basden—become more than just a score. “Much of the story rests on the framework that the music builds—the songs float in and out of the film,” Key explains in the production notes. Indeed, Slant writes, the movie provides “a moving tale about the power of music to heal.”

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Back to Black

Sam Taylor-Johnson's Back to Black explores the woman behind the legend that was Amy Winehouse. From her early days singing to her family to her later sold-out concert appearances, Winehouse (Marisa Abela) turned every song she sang into a personal connection. Using music from Winehouse’s iconic Back to Black album, as well as from artists—like The Shangri-Las, Billie Holiday, Minnie Riperton, Dinah Washington, and Sarah Vaughan—who influenced the singer-songwriter, the film maps out the making of the titular album. At the heart of the story is Abela’s powerhouse performance. Variety writes, “Abela nails Amy Winehouse in every look, mood and note in a biopic at once forthright and forbidding.”

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The Sparks Brothers

For his first documentary, The Sparks Brothers, Edgar Wright introduces his favorite band to the world. For 25 albums, Sparks, the Southern Californian brother team of Ron and Russell Mael, astonished the music world with their alchemy for reinvention and ingenuity. "I wanted the film to have the same spirit as the music,” Wright explains in the production notes. “I wanted to tell their story with the same sense of humor as their music, and by the nature of having very entertaining interviewees, that comes across.” With found footage, stop-motion animation, visual wit, and Sparks’ music, Wright proves to be the perfect partner for the band. “Never have I seen a documentary as fun as Wright’s The Sparks Brothers, which is thrilling from beginning to end,” writes RogerEbert.com.

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