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Here is a startlingly strange, certainly enjoyable real-life tale from the heartland of American showbusiness; a lovable crowdpleaser with its uplifting tone does little to warn you for how the narrative frequently and brutally turns like an unsafe fairground ride. I actually had my eyes closed with my jaw agape at certain key points, and was grabbing the seat in front of me tightly with my hands.

The Unbelievable True Tale

Mike and Claire Sardina, superbly portrayed by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee who had children from prior unions who in the 90s created a kitschy Neil Diamond tribute act named Lightning and Thunder; they grew into a cult hit in their home state and even performed before Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder good-naturedly joined them on stage for an encore.

But things were far from simple for the pair, and this movie contemplates how tough it is when the lightning of ill fortune hits repeatedly.

From Documentary to Drama

The film is actually based on an existing documentary bearing the identical name from 2008 by Greg Kohs about this stranger-than-fiction world, a movie that relied heavily reliant on the family's personal collection of homemade recordings. It’s fair to say that the documentary puts more emphasis on the delusional and absurd aspects in the lives of Mike and Claire.

Yet this is not the approach taken by this movie from writer-director Craig Brewer reinvents their story. The director and stars turn the laugh-at into laugh-with. Jackman delivers a masterful performance as a Neil Diamond impersonator, sounding almost like him, and appearing strikingly alike. He’s perfectly plausible as someone who isn’t supposed to be the major leagues but who undoubtedly possesses the talent (and the vocal cords) to headline a performance.

Standout Performances

Hudson likewise shines, performing her own vocals in the role of Claire, who before she joined Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world had a thriving act as Patsy Cline. The film depicts her powerfully singing Cline's songs, although there is one iconic Cline tune is curiously omitted from this movie.

Actor Michael Imperioli portrays a Buddy Holly impersonator called Mark, while Mustafa Shakir appears as a James Brown performer known as Sex Machine. Ella Anderson plays Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, and King Princess portrays Mike’s daughter Angelina of about the same age – and their burgeoning friendship serving as another subtle element of the film’s likability.

The Core Narrative

Irony and satire have been surgically removed from the account of Mike and Claire's heart-stoppingly eventful life experiences, and in their place Brewer substitutes those qualities that the couple themselves would have recognized: the fragility and isolation involved in striving for success in the margins of the music industry, or indeed making it anywhere and within any profession.

This is a never-say-die story and its cheerful optimism renders it a calorific Christmas treat.

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