Happy New Year! Lots of great films are coming our way, sequels, superheroes, video games, favorite books (two from Colleen Hoover!), big-budget blockbusters, micro-budget Indies, two new Pixar films, and MIND-BLOWING MUSIC. As always, what I most look forward to are the surprises, the films and performers we don’t know yet but will become indispensable by the end of the year. (And as always, we know more about what is coming in the next few months than the end of the year and release dates may change.)

JANUARY

People We Meet on Vacation Emily Henry’s best-seller about a will-they/won’t they couple comes to the screen with Emily Baderand Tom Blyth, co-starring Jameela Jamil, Alan Ruck, and Molly Shannon.

Mercy What if we had AI judges who give people accused of crimes just 90 minutes to prove their innocence? Chris Pratt plays the man accused of murdering his wife and Rebecca Ferguson plays the AI.

Send Help Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien play a pair of co-workers who do not get along well but have to find a way to get along when they are stranded on a desert island.

The Moment Charli XCX stars in a not-documentary about a touring pop star named Charli XCX. The cast includes Rosanna Arquette, Kate Berlant, and Alexander Skarsgård.

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die A time-bending sci-fi action story with Chris Pratt, Haley Lu Richardson, Juno Temple, Zazie Beetz, and Michael Peña fighting against the most popular villain of the moment, a rogue AI.

The Internship A top-level trained assassin wants to dismantle the system that trained her. Sounds a bit like “Ballerina,” doesn’t it?

Night Patrol An LAPD policeman has to team up with street gangs to fight a common enemy — crooked cops.

Untitled Home Invasion Romance Jason Biggs directs and stars in the story of a couple trying to repair their relationship with a trip away from home, until a dead body makes things get complicated.

Killer Whale The title says it all — two young woman on a trip to a private lagoon are hunted by an escaped orca out for revenge.

FEBRUARY

Elvis Presley in Concert Director Baz Luhrman discovered legendary missing footage of Elvis when he was working on the film starring Austin Butler. He’s now assembled never-before-seen footage into a concert film.

How to Make a Killing The classic British comedy “Kind Hearts and Coronets,” about a man who kills off every relative standing between him and an inheritance, is relocated and updated with Glen Powell as the would-be heir, co-starring with Margaret Qualley, Ed Harris, Topher Grace, and Bill Camp.

Wuthering Heights Emily Bronte’s gothic classic gets another reboot, this time, directed by a woman, Emerald Fennell, known for a provocative, strongly feminist viewpoint. Margot Robbie stars as Cathy, with Jacob Elordi as the brooding Heathcliff.

MARCH

The Magic Faraway Tree Enid Blyton’s classic children’s book gets a sumptuous treatment and a starry cast in this story of a tree that is a portal to magic lands. Stars include Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Rebecca Ferguson, Nonso Anozie, Nicola Coughlan, Jessica Gunning, and Jennifer Saunders.

The Breadwinner Is beloved comedian Nate Bargatze an actor? Or a screenwriter? We’ll find out in this story of a stay at home dad, starring along with Mandy Moore, fellow comedian Kumail Nanjiani, and SNL’s Will Forte and Colin Jost.

Masters of the Universe He-Man and Skeletor make it to the big screen in a live-action epic starring Nicholas Galitzine (He-Man/Prince Adam) with Jared Leto as his nemesis Skeletor. The cast also features Camila Mendes, Alison Brie, Idris Elba, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Sasheer Zamata, James Purefoy, Charlotte Riley, Kristen Wiig and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson.

Reminders of Him Another bittersweet romantic story of love and grief from Colleen Hoover book brought to the screen, starring Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Rudy Pankow, Lauren Graham, Bradley Whitford, and singer Lainey Wilson.

Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft – The Tour (Live in 3D) Billie Eilish singing. James Cameron directing. 3D. Enough said.

Poetic License Maude Apatow, who has shown her acting talent in “One of Them Days” and “Euphoria,” makes her directing debut with a screenplay she co-wrote. She also stars along with her mother, Leslie Mann, Andrew Barth Feldman, Method Man, and Cooper Hoffman.

Storm Rider: Legend of Hammerhead Three centuries after the Great Flood, the world has fractured into scattered islands, forever threatened by a colossal, unending Storm. The Islanders’ only hope for safety lies in the fortified city-state of Argos – a sanctuary reachable only through perilous trials known as Storm Riding. Yet, among them, a defiant faction believes true salvation lies not within Argos, but beyond the Storm itself, so they undertake the journey through the Storm.

The Bride Maggie Gyllenhaal is the writer/director of this Frankenstein story, with the setting changed to 1930s Chicago. Jessie Buckley is the title character, re-animated to give some company to the first monster, played by Christian Bale.

Hoppers A new animated story from Pixar is about a scientific experiment that has a teenager inhabiting the body of a robotic beaver. The cast includes Meryl Streep, John Hamm, and “SNL” alums Bobby Moynihan, Ego Nwodim, Melissa Villaseñor, and Vanessa Bayer.

Project Hail Mary A book by The Martian author Andy Weir takes us back into space with Ryan Gosling as a schoolteacher who is selected by leading world scientists as the only person who can save the stars.

APRIL

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Following the smash success of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” this one has returning voices Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, and Charlie Day, joined by Oscar-winner Brie Larson and Benny Safdie.

Michael The Michael Jackson story, with the King of Pop played by his nephew, Jaafar Jackson (son of Michael’s brother, Jermaine).

Mother Mary Director David Lowrey likes strange, spooky stories. This one stars Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel (“I May Destroy You”), FKA Twigs, Kaia Gerber, and Hunter Schafer in the story of a singer and a designer.

MAY

The Mandalorian and Grogu “Iron Man’s” Jon Favreau directs this “Star Wars” spin-off from he Disney+ series, with Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, and “The Bear’s” Jeremy Allen White.

Over Your Dead Body Samara Weaving and Jason Segel play a married couple who go away for what is supposed to be a weekend to reconnect and repair their relationship, but secretly each is planning to murder the other. Yes, it’s a comedy, from Lonely Island director Jorma Taccone.

I Love Boosters Writer/director Boots Riley (“Sorry to Bother You”) is back with another comic fantasy with social commentary, this time about a group of young shoplifters going after a fashion designer. The cast includes Keke Palmer, Demi Moore, Naomi Ackie, Eiza González, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, and “Sorry to Bother You” star LaKeith Stanfield.

The Sheep Detectives A shepherd who loves his flock (Hugh Jackman) is murdered, and the sheep who loved him decide to take what they learned from the mysteries he read to them and find out who did it. The cast playing suspects, law enforcement, and sheep includes Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Regina Hall, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Patrick Stewart, Nicholas Braun, and Chris O’Dowd.

JUNE

Toy Story 5 This fifth entry in the series that got Pixar started brings another new toy to disrupt Bonnie’s happy group of playthings: a tablet. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack are joined by  Anna Faris, Ernie Hudson, Conan O’Brien, and Greta Lee., and Andrew Stanton (“Wall-E” and “Finding Nemo”) directs.

Disclosure Day What if we all found out that aliens were here? Steven Spielberg directs, and he knows how to get us goosebump-y and emotional about aliens. Stars include Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Colman Domingo, and Wyatt Russell.

Power Ballad I’m a big fan of John Carney, who gave us “Sing Street” and “Once.” No one is better at characters who love and are transformed by music. This one has Paul Rudd as a wedding singer and Nick Jonas as a pop star. Jack Reynor, who played the brother in “Sing Street,” also stars.

Supergirl We got a glimpse of Milly Alcock as Superman’s messy Krypton cousin last year. Now we get to see her story.  Matthias Schoenaerts is a great choice for villain and Krypto is back, so this looks promising.

JULY

Moana The march of the Disney animation-to-live-action continues with Dwayne Johnson repeating his role as Maui.

Cut Off Don’t we love to see spoiled rich kids have to deal with reality? Jonah Hill directs a terrific cast in a story of siblings whose wealthy parents cut off their funds, starring Kristen Wiig, Bette Midler, Nathan Lane, Camila Cabello, Langston, and Chelsea Peretti.

The Odyssey Homer’s classic epic is directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Matt Damon as Odysseys, on his long journey home, Tom Holland as his son, Telemachus, Anne Hathaway as his patient wife Penelope, Zendaya as the goddess Athena, and Charlize Theron as the sorceress Circe.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day Tom Holland and Zendaya return for another adventure in the MCU.

AUGUST

The Devil Wears Prada 2 Meryl Streep is back, along with Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci, and so are original screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna and costume designer Molly Rogers. Reportedly joining the cast: Lady Gaga, Sydney Sweeney, Rachel Bloom, and Lucy Liu. Expect great performances and wildly original costumes.

Coyote vs. Acme Inspired by a witty 1990 Ian Frazier essay in the New Yorker, this is a hybrid animation/live action film, based on the idea that Looney Tunes’ Wile E. Coyote, after decades of backfiring Road Runner-capturing equipment from Acme, decides to sue them for damages. The animation/live action hybrid includes Will Forte as Wile E.’s lawyer, John Cena representing Acme, and Luis Guzman as the judge.

SEPTEMBER

How to Rob a Bank It’s not just about the money in this one. It’s about revenge on a financial system. Stars include Nicholas Hoult, David Leitch directs “How to Rob a Bank,” an action thriller starring Nicholas Hoult, Pete Davidson, Zoë Kravitz, John C. Reilly, and Christian Slater.

Practical Magic 2 Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock return to update us on the witchy Owens sisters, a sequel to the beloved film. Dianne Weist and Stockard Channing will be back, too.

Sense and Sensibility Another version of the Jane Austen story of two sisters, one who leads with her heart, one who leads with her head. Thee cast includes Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor Dashwood, Esmé Creed-Miles as her sister Marianne, Caitríona Balfe as their mother, and Frank Dillane as the heartbreaker John Willoughby,

OCTOBER

Remain You might not think of writer/director M. Knight Shyamalan, known for spooky twists, and Nicholas Sparks, known for bittersweet romances, as likely to team up. But that is who is behind this spooky romance, starring  Jake Gyllenhaal and Phoebe Dynevor.

The Social Reckoning This sequel to “The Social Network” has screenwriter Aaron Sorkin taking over directing duties as well, with Jeremy Strong taking over the role of Mark Zuckerberg and Oscar-winner Mikey Madison as Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen.

Digger Tom Cruise, Roz Ahmed, and John Goodman star in a film from Oscar-winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu about a man responsible for impending catastrophe thinks he’s the only one who can stop it.

Verity Another Colleen Hoover book, this one a thriller about a woman hired to ghostwrite books for a successful author who has been injured. The ghostwriter discovers some disturbing information in the author’s files. The cast includes Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett.

NOVEMBER

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping We hear Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson will appear briefly in this prequel that is a sequel to Songbirds and Snakes. It’s got a great cast: Mckenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, Ralph Fiennes, Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Maya Hawke, Ben Wang, Lili Taylor, and Billy Porter.

Jimmy One of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood left the movies when the US entered WWII to become a real-life hero. KJ Apa plays Jimmy Stewart, who specialized in affable guy next door roles on screen but became a decorated B-24 bomber pilot for the U.S. Air Forces, ultimately rising to the rank of Brigadier General.

Madden David O. Russell (“Silver Linings Playbook”) directed and co-wrote the story of football triple legend John Madden, as coach, as TV sportscaster, and as namesake of the $4 billion video game. Nicolas Cage plays Madden, with Christian Bale as Al Davis and John Mulaney as Trip Hawkins.

Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol One of my favorite stories is re-imagined with Johnny Depp “Bah, humbug-ing” in the title role and a cast that includes Andrea Riseborough, Tramell Tillman, Rupert Grint, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley, and Ian McKellen.

Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew Greta Gerwig follows “Barbie” with a reboot of the Narnia chronicles, with Daniel Craig, Carey Mulligan, and Emma Mackey.

DECEMBER

Dune Part III More sandworms ahead!

Jumanj III More video games come to life ahead!

Shrek V More ogres!

Ice Age 6 More ice age creatures!

Avengers: Doomsday EVERYBODY in the MCU is reportedly in what they’re calling the “penultimate chapter.” Even Robert Downey, Jr., as previewed in the post-credits sequence of the last film.

Real-life couple Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon are pure magic on screen. In fact, they are so magical, so sincere, empathetic and endearing, so precise in their attention to character and their connection to the other actors that we may feel we don’t just know them; we want them to come live with us. Their skill, their powerful chemistry, and the modest intentions of “The Best You Can” elevate this small film into something special.

We meet the two main characters as they are under great stress. Cynthia (Sedgwick) is having dinner with a colleague at an elegant restaurant, waiting for her husband Warren (Judd Hirsch) to come back from the men’s room. She is explaining to the friends that yes, she did marry a man who was much older but everything is okay, really, when he returns to the wrong table after entering the wrong rest room. She is not willing to admit to herself how serious his cognitive decline has become. She consults with a doctor friend (Ray Romano), who gently uses the term “dementia” and tells her she needs to get on with her life. “I don’t want to get on with my life,” she moans.

We first see Stan (Bacon), a retired cop now doing the night shift at a private security company, in extremis. He is getting a prostate exam. And the doctor’s report is not good. He needs to see a urologist. He also has a very strained relationship with his daughter, an aspiring singer who self-medicates some mental instability with drugs. “I’m not on drugs,” she tells him. “I do drugs.”

Stan and Cynthia meet when he is on duty. Someone has broken into her house. She thinks he is the intruder, so she whacks him. And it turns out, she is a urologist. She wants to make up to him for hitting him on the head, so she offers to treat him.

They develop a friendly relationship via text. It says a lot about the extraordinary charisma and skill of Sedgwick and Bacon that they make the near-impossible meet not-cute and extended scenes of texting work. Whenever the screenplay lets them down, with references to television shows no one under 65 will recognize, much less understand, that they give these moments so much heart and so much charm.

The movie also benefits enormously from some of the supporting characters, not just Romano and Hirsch but also Brittany O’Grady (“White Lotus”) as Stan’s troubled daughter (be sure to watch the credits to hear her sing) and Meera Rohit Kumbhani as a home health aide with endless patience and sympathy.

Writer/director Michael J. Weithorn also has patience and sympathy for his characters, and with Bacon and Sedgwick, who also co-produced, he has produced a film that reminds us that, with some help, the best we can has a lot to offer.

Parents should know that this film has very strong language, sexual references, some crude, and a non-explicit situation, drinking and drug use.

Family discussion: What was the purpose of Stan’s story? What did Stan and Cynthia have in common?

If you like this, try: “I’ll Be Right There” with Edie Falco and “Suze” with Michaela Watkins

Copyright 2020 Unshakeable Productions

The award-winning documentary “Resisterhood” is about some of the most controversial moments of Donald Trump’s first term as President and the groundswell of protest in response. Since it was released in 2020, as he was defeated by Joe Biden, it is well worth another look in light of increased controversy and division.

Director Cheryl Jacobs Crim begins the film with a collection of clips from the 2016 campaign, like his imitation of a reporter’s disability and his urging of violence against protesters to highlight/remind us of Trump’s thuggishness and cruelty. Those moments are stark and unsettling in showing us how far we have fallen from what six years ago seemed like the floor of politics. And how alert and vibrant Trump was compared to the man who falls asleep during meetings and tries to cover up the bruises on his hand.

After that opening, the focus is on the response of the voters to initiatives like child separation at the border, eliminating the rights of GLBTQIA individuals, the appointment of Justice Kavanaugh despite claims of sexual abuse, rollback of environmental protection. Crim introduces us to five thoughtful “resisters,” and the determination, integrity, and commitment to helping others in each story is warm, engaging, and inspiring.

Steely but radiant and warm-hearted Margaret Johnson Morrison is identified as an historian/educator. She tells us that the first time she participated in a protest it was on the march from Selma to Montgomery led by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King. And one way and another, she has been standing up for justice ever since. “That is why I have continued to participate where I could, to change what is wrong to what is right.”

Joanna Lohman was on the Washington Spirits soccer team as this film was being made. She felt that soccer was what she was born to do, but she loved talking to the fans, especially the young girls who wore her jersey to games and admired her “jo-hawk” haircut. She happened to be injured at the beginning of the season, which gave her time to think about using her time and her platform to speak out on the issues she cared most about, respect, equality and inclusion for the GLBTIA community.

Mimi Hassanein (community volunteer) came to the United States from Egypt and has been a US citizen since 1971. Even before she learned to speak English, she reached out to her community by sharing what she could: bringing baklava to her children’s school. She wears a hijab, but take it off when she is in the car. By the time we see that, it is wrenching, because we know how good hearted she is, and she has shown us how she has embraced the American idea of civic involvement. “Learning about my civic duty really empowered me to really learn about the beautiful system we have here.” She explains that she feels she has to do that to be safe, because strangers make comments like accusing her of being in ISIS. As the movie goes on, she decides to run for office.

For Illinois Democratic Congressman Luis Gutierrez and his wife, originally from Puerto Rico, the Trump policies on immigration and his response to the devastation of Hurricane Maria. He describes his journey of questioning the prejudices he was taught as a child. “My heart and my soul is so much cleaner today than it was.” And Dr. Jean Gearon is proud to carry on the tradition of her great-grandmother, a leader of the fight for women to get the vote. She is a psychologist, but she makes it clear at an early meeting that the gathering is not a support group; it is about education, outreach and action.

The film is punctuated with the large demonstrations with people protesting policies on climate, guns, immigration, and the confirmation of Supreme Court justice Kavanaugh. We also get a brief glimpse of the alt-right protest in Charlottesville, shouting “Jews will not replace us!” and another protest of that protest. Crim deftly brings the stories together, giving us time with each of her main characters in the context of the developments of the 2017-2020 era. Some of the film’s most powerful and moving scenes are the family members who are all inspired to continue the tradition of speaking out for others. Morrison’s great-nephew says, “She made it sure that her voice was heard. And if she can do this, I can do this.” Hassanein’s granddaughter knocks on doors to talk to voters and the whole family comes over on election night. And Gearon’s daughter accompanies her to the Belmont–Paul Women’s Equality National Monument, a historic house and museum of the U.S. women’s suffrage and equal rights movements, so see her great-great-grandmother’s pictures. They remind us that it is not about a particular politician or policy, it is about always looking forward. As Morrison says, “That is why I have continued to participate where I could, to change what is wrong to what is right.”

Parents should know that this movie covers many political controversies, some involving violence, bigotry, or reproductive rights. A survivor of the Parkland school shooting speaks at a protest. There are references to sexual assault.

Family discussion: Which of the issues in the movie is the most important to you? What kind of protest is most effective?

If you like this, try: “Ratified,” about Virginia’s becoming the final state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment

If you are in the mood for a movie that is self-aware but still cheerfully and unapologetically stupid but in a very funny way, I’ve got good news. “Anaconda” is here.

You may wonder if this is a remake of a legendarily cheesey 1997 creature film called “Anaconda,” and the answer is, sort of, part reboot, part meta-commentary. If you have no idea that there even was a movie starring Jon Voight, Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Owen Wilson, Danny Trejo, and Eric Stoltz, consider yourself lucky and don’t worry about it because everything you need to know to appreciate this film will be recapped for you as the four main characters talk about why they want to do a remake/update. And by the way, if you have never seen the 1997 version, this one might just inspire you to give it a try.

The four main characters, friends since childhood, are Doug, a wedding video photographer who would rather be making something more challenging (Jack Black), Griff, a Hollywood actor better described as unsuccessful rather than struggling, though he was in three episodes of “SWAT” (Paul Rudd), Kenny, once fired by Doug as a videographer because he was high (Steve Zahn), and Claire, a recently divorced lawyer looking for something to feel excited about (Thandiwe Newton, sadly underused as essentially the Wendy to the Lost Boys of the group). Griff tells the group he has obtained the rights to the 1997 “Anaconda” and proposes a 3-week shoot in the Amazon rainforest with him as star and Doug as director.

All four are at that mid-life point where they need to feel that they have not given up their dreams and so, with a screenplay by Doug and some modest financing from Claire, they are off to the rainforest. There they meet up with a snake wrangler named Santiago and his beloved anaconda, Heitor, and set off to film, having no idea that Ana, the person driving the boat (Daniela Melchior), is on the run from some scary-looking guys.

That’s the set up for a lot of meta-jokes about filmmaking, the process and the business, as well as various antics as many things go wrong in making their film, Ana’s pursuers keep pursing, and, perhaps needless to say, there are actual anacondas, well, CGI, but in the world of the movie, these are what Jon Voight called in the first film, “perfect killing machines” that “hold you tighter than your true love. And you get the privilege, of hearing your bones break before the power of embrace causes your veins to explode.”

The action and comedy, much of it extremely silly, are well balanced and keep things moving briskly. I might come down on the side of a little less carnage, but perhaps that is taking this more seriously than it is fair to expect of us. And some surprises near the end and during the credits are genuine delights.

Parents should know that this movie includes extended peril and violence including scary giant snakes, guns, and explosions. Characters are injured and killed. It also includes alcohol, drugs (portrayed for humor), and some strong language.

Family discussion: What project would you like to do with your friends? If you made a movie together, what would it be about?

If you like this, try: the original “Anaconda” film and “Tropic Thunder”

First there was Neil Diamond, one of the foremost singer-songwriters of the 1970s-90s. And then there was a Milwaukee couple billed as Lightning and Thunder who described their act not as a Neil Diamond tribute act, but a Neil Diamond experience. (“Experience” in this case meaning a fog machine and a leaf blower to blow back their hair.) Then there was a documentary named “Song Sung Blue” about Lightning and Thunder (real names, Mike and Claire Sardina, about the success of their act but also about their setbacks and challenges, about the music and about their love story. And now, like the infinite regression of the girl on the ketchup bottle we have two huge Hollywood stars, very slightly dimming their imperishable glamour to star in a feature film of the same name, and it is one of the most purely enjoyable films of the year, with heartfelt performances and joyous music.

Jackman plays Mike, a divorced Vietnam veteran in recovery from alcoholism who has a teenage daughter. He is passionate about performing (a character astutely observes that a recovering alcoholic will find something else to be addicted to and his is music), and he is very specific about what he wants to do. His stage name is Lightning.

He first sees Claire (Hudson), a divorced mother of a teenage daughter and a younger son, when she is performing in a curly black wig as Patsy Cline. Back at her house, they start singing together and it is instant magic. Their chemistry as performers and as a romantic couple shines from the screen. Soon they get married (at the Wisconsin State Fair) and blend their families. One particularly nice scene is when the two teenage girls get together and form their own instant connection over their family upheavals and some weed.

There are some setbacks along the way, including a mistake in booking that has them performing their first gig not, as they thought, for a motor home convention but for a motorcycle club gathering. But soon, with the help of friends, their crowd-pleasing appearances lead to an enthusiastic local following. Those friends include characters played by Jim Belushi, as the gentle, very sincere tour bus driver who signs on to book their gigs, Michael Imperioli as a devoted friend and Buddy Holly impersonator who is thirty years older than Holly ever got to be, and Fisher Stevens as a dentist so on board he gets Lightning a replacement tooth with a bolt of lightning on it. All three give endearingly open-hearted performances. Lightning and Thunder sing the Neil Diamond songs like they are brand new, with superb musicality. We can see that they are most alive when they are on stage.

“I just want to sing and be happy and feel loved!” Claire tells her daughter. “I will be Neil Diamond, but I’ll also be me,” Mike promises. “He’s…artistic,” says Mike’s daughter to Claire’s daughter, meaningfully. “Most alcoholics trade one addiction for another. Music is that for Dad.” Those comments, along with impeccable work by production designer Clay A. Griffith and costume designer Ernesto Martinez tell us what we need to know about Mike and Claire. But writer/director Craig Brewer is also telling us a deeper story about the healing power of performing music to lift the spirits, bring people together, create a sense of meaning and purpose, and just make us feel good.

Claire is badly injured in a freak accident. Mike has heart problems. But they love each other and the audiences love them. And then they get a call from Eddie Vedder, who wants them to open for Pearl Jam when they play at a huge music festival in Wisconsin. (A terrific performance by John Beckwith as a slightly laconic but enormously decent Vedder and be sure to check out the footage of that real-life performance.)

Thanks to Brewer, the movie never condescends to Mike, Claire, or their friends. It takes the same joy in their performances that their fans do. Jackson is excellent as Mike and Hudson is a revelation here, never better, with a perfect Wisconsin broad A, exquisite harmonies, and so much joy on stage we cannot help but bask in it. As Claire recovering from her injury, depressed and knocked out on painkillers, she is raw and heartbreakingly vulnerable. We know she cannot give up the music, and seeing her back on stage, reconnecting with the pure joy of the music and the audience, connects us with all of that and with the love story, too.

Parents should know that this film has strong language, a recovering alcoholic, a serious injury and painkillers, and a teen pregnancy.

Family discussion: What’s the best Neil Diamond song? Were you surprised that Eddie Vedder invited Mike and Claire to open for Pearl Jam? If you were in the audience, how would you have responded?

If you like this, try: The documentary of the same name and of course the music of Neil Diamond