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Here is a startlingly strange, certainly enjoyable true-life story from the heartland of American showbusiness; an endearing hit whose feelgood flavour does little to warn you for the way the narrative repeatedly and savagely twists similar to a precarious carnival attraction. I actually had myself shutting my eyes 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, superbly portrayed by Jackman and Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee who had children from prior unions that during the 1990s created a cheesy Neil Diamond tribute act named Lightning and Thunder; they grew into an underground sensation in their home state and even performed before Pearl Jam, whose guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them on stage for an additional song.

But things were not easy for them, and this movie contemplates the difficulty that arises when misfortune's bolt hits repeatedly.

From Documentary to Drama

It is in fact adapted from an existing documentary of the same title created in 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a movie that relied heavily reliant on the couple’s family archive of home video. One could argue that the documentary focuses more intently on the delusional and absurd aspects of Mike and Claire’s life.

But that’s not how taken by this movie from director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. The director and stars turn the laugh-at into shared amusement. Jackman delivers a masterful performance as a Neil Diamond impersonator, sounding almost like him, and looking almost like him. He’s perfectly plausible as an individual not destined for the major leagues but who clearly has the chops (and the vocal cords) to carry a show.

Standout Performances

Hudson is also excellent, 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 belting out Cline numbers, although there is one iconic Cline tune is curiously omitted from this movie.

Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly impersonator called Mark, while Mustafa Shakir appears as a James Brown act known as 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 is another underplayed aspect of the film’s likability.

The Heart of the Story

Irony and satire have been meticulously excised from Mike and Claire’s heart-stoppingly eventful life stories, and replacing them Brewer substitutes those qualities that the couple themselves would have recognized: the fragility and isolation involved in striving for success on the fringes of the music industry, or indeed succeeding in any field and within any profession.

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

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