**Release date:** 1 January 2026 (UK)
**Director:** Craig Brewer
**Producers:** Craig Brewer, John Fox, John Davis
**Starring**: Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson
**Running time:** 2h 13m
**Production company:** Davis Entertainment
**Distributed by:** Universal Pictures, Focus Features

It’s our second music biopic! Much like the last one, I know next to nothing about the famous musician involved. Neil Diamond, huh? I am vaguely aware that he is not that cool. Is he good? No idea.

Unlike the last one, though, we’re focusing here not on the famous artist but a tribute band, and personally I think this makes the film 2000% more interesting. The problem, I guess, with a music biopic is that we know how it ends. Is Bruce Springsteen going to be successful and world famous? THE SUSPENSE. With a tribute band - anything can happen.

*Wanted every single one of Kate Hudson’s outfits*

Well, does it ever. If you, like me, once sat down to watch the film Million Dollar Baby with absolutely no background information other than ‘it’s about boxing’, you may have some idea of the whiplash involved in watching this film. About a third of the way through I completely fell for it, to the point of whispering to my neighbour ‘this is so vanilla I actually love it.’ Then the THINGS began to happen. I won’t spoil it, but at some point the things are so ridiculous that Kate Hudson, having nearly been smashed into by a car, just stares at the wreckage and laughs out loud.

The wildest part is this is apparently a true story. Kate and Hugh meet backstage at a sort of tribute band cabaret, and decide to form a musical duo called Lightening and Thunder (she’s Thunder, he’s Lightening) singing the songs of Neil Diamond. And you know what, I don’t care what the official line is on ND, they make this look incredibly fun. Whereas Bruce Springsteen’s biopic made being a musician look about as interesting as filling in a tax return (triggering), these two are absolutely going for it. I’m pretty sure I read somewhere they do their own singing which, again, is much more fun when the film’s about a tribute band. Who wants to imitate the real incredibly successful singer? I never saw that Amy Winehouse film, but the trailer was upsetting enough.

Speaking of which, we nearly had a nap catastrophe (a napastrophe? a natastrophe?) when, one hour into the film I realised the baby hadn’t slept since, like, a thousand hours ago and panicked. Oh for the joyful days when I didn’t care about this, and merrily sailed about from baby cinema screening to cafe to baby group - a total wreck, obviously, but with a smily happy baby who slept ok (bearing in mind the definition of ok in this situation is hard to convey to my past self…) Now the sleep is chaotic, and so we find ourselves increasingly enslaved to The Schedule. Throw in the need to suddenly FEED the baby ACTUAL FOOD (can we please figure out some way to evolve so that we don’t need anything but milk for at least the first 5 years or so?) and these days are getting com-pic-cated.

Happy to report, that after a crying fit (me) and some questioning stares (her) she finally nodded off right around the time the drama started ramping up. I know they can’t tell what’s going on, but it is still a relief to have the baby sleeping before the dismemberment begins.

Good things: Every single one of Kate Hudson’s jumpers

Bad things: Is the music objectively bad? All I know is it was way more fun to watch than the Springsteen

My review: A good time had by all (except the characters in this film, eventually)

Lily’s review: 0 poos

Next week: The History of Sound

Song Sung Blue

The History of Sound

Hamnet