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This film presents a startlingly strange, certainly enjoyable real-life tale from the heartland of American showbusiness; an endearing hit whose feelgood flavour won’t prepare you for the way the plot frequently and brutally turns similar to a precarious carnival attraction. Personally, I found my eyes closed with my jaw agape during several crucial moments, and was grabbing the chair ahead tightly with my hands.

The Stranger-Than-Fiction Story

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Jackman and Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee with kids from prior unions that during the 1990s formed a cheesy Neil Diamond tribute act called Lightning and Thunder; they became a cult hit in their home state and even opened for Pearl Jam, whose guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them during their performance for an additional song.

But things were far from simple for the pair, and this movie contemplates how tough it is when misfortune's bolt strikes more than once.

Adapting a Real Story

The film is actually based on an existing documentary bearing the identical name created in 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs about this stranger-than-fiction world, a film that was extensively on the couple’s family archive of home video. One could argue that the original documentary puts more emphasis on the unrealistic and ridiculous elements in the lives of Mike and Claire.

Yet this is not the approach taken by this movie from writer-director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. He, Jackman and Hudson transform the mockery into shared amusement. Jackman absolutely crushes it portraying a Neil Diamond tribute artist, vocalizing in a remarkably similar manner, and looking almost like him. He is entirely believable as someone who isn’t supposed to be the major leagues but who clearly has the chops (and the vocal cords) to carry a show.

Notable Acting

Hudson is also excellent, performing her own vocals as Claire, who prior to partnering with Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world enjoyed a successful career as Patsy Cline. The film depicts her belting out Cline numbers, even though one particular iconic Cline tune is curiously omitted from this movie.

Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly tribute artist called Mark, and Mustafa Shakir is a James Brown act called Sex Machine. Ella Anderson plays Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, and King Princess is Mike’s daughter Angelina of about the same age – with their developing friendship serving as another subtle element contributing to the movie's charm.

The Heart of the Story

Irony and satire have been surgically removed from Mike and Claire’s heart-stoppingly eventful life stories, and in their place Brewer substitutes those qualities that the couple themselves would have been aware of: the fragility and isolation involved in striving for success on the fringes of the music business, or for that matter making it anywhere and within any profession.

This is a never-say-die story and its bright hopefulness makes it a rich holiday delight.

Song Sung Blue is out December 25th in the United States and 1 January in Australia and the United Kingdom.