MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – Action News 5 went one-on-one with the Memphis mastermind behind a major Christmas Day film release, “Song Sung Blue,” written and directed by the Bluff City’s own Craig Brewer.
We sat down with the filmmaker to discuss a Christmas he’ll never forget!
Hollywood heavy-hitters Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson have paired with Brewer, Memphis’ own heavy-hitter.
“I think it’s a perfect, perfect Christmas movie. It’s a moral tale. It’s true,” Brewer expressed while talking about “Song Sung Blue‚” his 16th directorial project but first Christmas-day blockbuster.
It’s a cherished release date for any film, usually indicating a studio’s hope that a film is either considered a major holiday contender, possibly even a contender for Oscars or other awards.
And for a man whose career as a writer and director was launched with the release of “The Poor & Hungry” on a $20,000 budget, as Brewer said, “It’s pretty amazing. Because I don’t know about you, but like, that’s a tradition for me on Christmas… You go to a movie. And usually it’s like, well, ‘What’s a movie that we can all go see?’ And I think that when the studio saw the movie, they’re like, ‘Oh… teenagers, adults, grandma, they can all go to it, and they can all feel inspired.’”
“Song Sung Blue” is based on the 2008 documentary film of the same name by Greg Kohs, about Mike and Claire Sardina, who performed as the Neil Diamond tribute band “Lightning and Thunder.”
“You know, it’s a true story about this man and this woman in Milwaukee in the ’90s, that they both came from divorced families, and they fell in love, and they were going to make a family of their own, and they decided they were going to make this Neil Diamond tribute band… And it’s really this beautiful story about this family who goes through so many hardships, but they’re ultimately just trying to chase their dream. And I can’t help but just love stories like that, especially here in Memphis,” Brewer elaborated.
Brewer has built his career on what he calls “American stories,” from the “grit and grind” of “Hustle & Flow,” the powerhouse “Empire” television series, to the iconic characters in “Dolemite Is My Name,” and “Coming 2 America.”
Last year, he helmed the Peacock series “Fight Night,” which is a story about a million-dollar heist in 1970 that transformed Atlanta into a modern-day “Black Mecca.”
Critics say Brewer’s latest, “Song Sung Blue,” is unlike anything on Brewer’s resume, but Brewer disagrees.
“I find that so funny that people are coming up to me, going like, ‘Craig, this seems so different than the movies that you’ve been making.’ And I was like, ‘I don’t think it’s really all that different.’ I go, ‘Is it because it’s got white people in it?’ And they were like, ‘All right, yeah, it’s because it’s got white people in it.’ But I think that’s what makes this story so great, is that I think it’s a perfect sister movie to ‘Hustle & Flow,’” he explained, adding, “The story that I know that Hollywood always tries to perpetuate is that, you know, a real American dream story in the arts or in music is, well, when somebody makes it. But that’s actually not the case, really, with a good like 80% of artists out there, you know, they’re still working for tip jar change at your local bars and restaurants trying to entertain you.”
Now it’s Brewer’s turn to entertain with an unforgettable cast of characters that will likely inspire movie-goers around the world this Christmas.
“They can all enjoy the music, but they can also experience a real dramatic story that’s going to move people. And every audience that we’ve shown it to has just been cheering at the end of it,” he said.
“Song Sung Blue” opened nationwide Christmas 2025, and over the following days this same week, it will also open in Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, South Africa and at least 10 other countries.
Brewer’s next movie is a biopic of rap legend Snoop Dogg. We’ll be watching!
As for Brewer’s favorite movie of all-time?
“To this day, before I shoot a movie, I show ‘Purple Rain’ to my crew,” he said. “That’s my favorite movie. I could say ‘The Godfather.’ I could say any of the movies of Martin Scorsese, but I’m sorry, it’s ‘Purple Rain.’”
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