David R. Walker

Archive for the ‘Craig Brewer’ Category

Song Sung Blue

Director: Craig Brewer

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson, Ella Anderson, Hudson Henley, Michael Imperioli, Fisher Stevens, Jim Belushi, Mustafa Shakir

Running Time: 2 hours and 12 minutes

Film Rating: 7 out of 10

Twenty six years after her first Oscar nomination for Almost Famous back in 2000 for director Cameron Crowe’s musical drama, Oscar nominee Kate Hudson, daughter of Oscar winner and Hollywood veteran Goldie Hawn, stars in a new musical drama Song Sung Blue directed by Craig Brewer for which Hudson has just been nominated again for Best Actress in the 2026 Oscars.

Kate Hudson is extraordinary as a divorcee Claire in 1990’s Minnesota who teams up with a fellow singer impersonator the troubled Mike well played with gusto by Oscar nominee Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables) in Song Sung Blue, not the catchiest title for a film.

However despite the extraordinarily long running time, Song Sung Blue is an enjoyable musical drama about average Americans trying to survive by doing Neil Diamond and Patsy Cline impersonations on stage.

Claire and Mike form the Lightning and Thunder duo as they tour around the mid-West with the help of their hilarious manager Tony D’Amato superbly played by Jim Belushi (Wonder Wheel, The Whole Truth) and supported by Mike’s friends Dr Dave Watson played by Fisher Stevens recently seen in Ripley and Succession TV series and Mike Shurilla played by Michael Imperioli (Goodfellas).  

Complications arise in Claire and Mike’s marriage and performing partnership as Claire is hit by a car in a bad accident outside their house and she has rehabilitate herself and emotionally train herself to appear back on stage.

The rest of the supporting cast include Claire’s children Rachel played by Ella Anderson who is excellent and her son Dana played by Hudson Henley.

Despite the setbacks Claire and Mike have as a performing duo, Song Sung Blue as a film was not edited properly and is saved by an extraordinarily vulnerable performance by Kate Hudson who carries the entire film.

While Song Sung Blue has great commercial appeal and there is an undeniable spark between Hudson and Jackman, the film itself meandered from one family drama to another while touching on issues of addiction, survival and ambition. A musical story about a couple that are almost famous but whose love triumphs through tenacity and tragedy.

See Song Sung Blue for the Neil Diamond music and the great family story, however as film it doesn’t stand as a monumental piece of cinema and is saved only by a brilliant performance by Kate Hudson. Director Craig Brewer who delivered the hilarious comedy Coming 2 America needs to employ a better editor.

This film has done extremely well at the box office which and has a warm compassionate appeal, however it pales in comparison to films like Marty Supreme and One Battle After Another.

Song Sung Blue gets a film rating of 7 out of 10 and is worth seeing purely for Kate Hudson’s competent performance. Recommended viewing for an enjoyable family drama.

Coming 2 America

Director: Craig Brewster

Cast: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Wesley Snipes, Shari Headley, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Kiki Layne, Tracy Morgan, James Earl Jones, Morgan Freeman

Paramount Studios had plans to release this sequel theatrically but they sold the rights to Amazon Studios due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. Fortunately, Coming 2 America had a theatrical release in South Africa on Friday 5^th March 2021.

Firstly, a big thank you to Ster Kinekor for sponsoring a ticket for the highly anticipated sequel to the 1988 John Landis directed film Coming to America, simply titled Coming 2 America reuniting the original cast Oscar nominee Eddie Murphy (Dream Girls) and Arsenio Hall as Prince Akeem and his faithful advisor Semmi.

Over 30 years later and Prince Akeem is married to the gorgeous Lisa played by Shari Headley and they have three lovely daughters as they preside over the mythical African kingdom of Zamunda. Akeem’s father, King Jaffe Joffer is dying and Akeem’s daughters cannot inherit the throne due to the law of patriarchal descent that only allows a male heir to inherit a royal throne. Legendary Hollywood star James Earl Jones (The Lion King, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Hunt for Red October) reprises his role as King Jaffe Joffer.

Akeem learns that he actually conceived a son while on his trip to America in the original film, thirty years earlier. Akeem’s son, now 30 Lavelle Junson played by Jermaine Fowler is living in Queens with his outrageous mother Mary played by Leslie Jones.

In the neighbouring African militarized kingdom controlled by General Izzi wonderfully played by Wesley Snipes (New Jack City, Expendables 3, One Night Stand), Izzi is threatening war against Akeem if his new found son does not marry Izzi’s daughter.

Akeem and Semmi fly to New York and arrive at the borough of Queens where they go in search of Lavelle and naturally have to bring the young prince and his crazy mother back with them to Africa.

The comic trick about the original Coming to America was that Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall played multiple characters and their comedic talents are used again quite successfully as they both take on multiple roles including two characters in a New York barber shop and a crazy priest.

Audiences should look out for rising star Kiki Layne (If Beale Street Could Talk) as the beautiful Meeka and cameo appearances by Morgan Freeman and Trevor Noah.

While Coming 2 America is funny, vibrant and colourful, Hustle & Flow director Craig Brewster does rely on too many flashbacks from the original John Landis film to keep this sequel grounded although there are some funny scenes especially Lavelle’s attempt to capture a lion’s whisker.

Unfortunately, Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall’s comic moments in Coming 2 America are limited in this version unlike in the original which was absolutely hilarious and back in the late 1980’s, they were not afraid to push the envelope. Thankfully Wesley Snipes performance as the flamboyant General Izzi is next level and really eye catching. It’s really great to see Wesley Snipes back on the big screen.

Ultimately, Coming 2 America is a very light and vibrant family comedy which luckily does not take itself too seriously and is perfect entertainment for the whole family.

Coming 2 America is recommended viewing at all cinemas in South Africa including Ster Kinekor and is also available on Amazon Prime for overseas territories. This much needed sequel to the original film gets a film rating of 6.5 out of 10 and is worth seeing for a good laugh.