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Here is a startlingly strange, certainly enjoyable true-life story emerging from the American entertainment world; a lovable crowdpleaser with its uplifting tone does little to warn you for how the narrative repeatedly and savagely twists similar to a precarious carnival attraction. I actually had my eyes closed and mouth open during several crucial moments, and was grabbing the seat in front of me tightly with my hands.

The Unbelievable True Tale

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, superbly portrayed by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple who had children from prior unions that during the 1990s formed a kitschy Neil Diamond tribute act named Lightning and Thunder; they became an underground sensation in their home state and even performed before Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them during their performance for an encore.

However, life was far from simple for the pair, and this film broods on the difficulty that arises 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 from 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs about this stranger-than-fiction world, a movie that relied heavily reliant on the couple’s family archive of home video. One could argue that the documentary puts more emphasis on the unrealistic and ridiculous elements in the lives of Mike and Claire.

But that’s not how taken by this movie from director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. He, Jackman and Hudson transform the mockery into laugh-with. Jackman absolutely crushes it as a Neil Diamond impersonator, sounding almost like him, and appearing strikingly alike. He is entirely believable as an individual not destined for in the big league but who clearly has the chops (and the vocal cords) to carry a show.

Notable Acting

Hudson likewise shines, performing her own vocals as Claire, who before she joined Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world enjoyed a successful career as Patsy Cline. She is shown powerfully singing Cline's songs, although there is one Cline standard is curiously omitted from this movie.

Actor Michael Imperioli portrays a Buddy Holly tribute artist named Mark, while Mustafa Shakir appears as a James Brown act known as Sex Machine. The role of Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, and King Princess is 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

Sarcasm and mockery have been surgically removed from Mike and Claire’s dramatically packed life stories, and replacing them Brewer substitutes those attributes 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 tale of relentless perseverance and its bright hopefulness renders it a calorific Christmas treat.

Song Sung Blue releases on 25 December in the US and 1 January in Australia and the UK.