Run time: 132 mins

Craig Brewer’s drama strikes a heartfelt chord, turning the true story of a husband-and-wife Neil Diamond tribute band into a warm, quietly affecting crowd-pleaser.

Set in the mid-1990s, it follows Milwaukee single dad Mike (Hugh Jackman) and single mother Claire (Kate Hudson), two restless dreamers who can’t write songs of their own but find solace and eventually love in the music of Neil Diamond. Persuaded by Mike’s infectious enthusiasm, they form the cover band Lightning & Thunder, blending their families as quickly as they blend harmonies. Their live shows take off, their bond deepens, and for a while life feels electric, until tragedy threatens to break everything they have built.

Jackman belts Diamond’s classics with a swagger while Hudson offers a tender, melodic counterpoint, and together they create a duet built on bruised hearts and big hope. Brewer recreates the era with flair. Glittering costumes, lovingly scuffed venues and fluid camera work capture both the joy of their performances and the shadows creeping in around them.

Moving, tuneful and gently uplifting, this is a charming human tale that will likely send everyone who watches searching for the real couple and the documentary that first told their remarkable story.