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This film presents a startlingly strange, undeniably entertaining true-life story emerging from the American entertainment world; an endearing hit whose feelgood flavour does little to warn you for how the plot frequently and brutally turns like an unsafe fairground ride. Personally, I found my eyes closed and mouth open during several crucial moments, and was grabbing the seat in front of me with both fists.

The Unbelievable True Tale

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee with kids from previous relationships that during the 1990s created a cheesy Neil Diamond tribute act named Lightning and Thunder; they became a cult hit in their home state and even performed before Pearl Jam, whose guitarist Eddie Vedder good-naturedly joined them during their performance for an encore.

However, life was not easy for them, and this movie contemplates how tough it is when misfortune's bolt strikes more than once.

From Documentary to Drama

The film is actually based on a prior documentary film bearing the identical name from 2008 by Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a film that was heavily reliant 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 of Mike and Claire’s life.

But that’s not how this film from director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. He, Jackman and Hudson turn the laugh-at into shared amusement. Jackman absolutely crushes it portraying a Neil Diamond tribute artist, 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 clearly has the chops (and the vocal cords) to headline a performance.

Standout Performances

Hudson likewise shines, performing her own vocals in the role of Claire, who prior to partnering with Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world had a thriving act performing 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 tribute artist called Mark, while Mustafa Shakir appears as a James Brown act called Sex Machine. The role of Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, and King Princess is Mike's daughter Angelina who is around the same age – with their developing friendship is another underplayed aspect contributing to the movie's charm.

The Core Narrative

Sarcasm and mockery have been meticulously excised from Mike and Claire’s heart-stoppingly eventful life stories, and in their place 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 indeed succeeding in any field and in any business.

This is a never-say-die story and its bright hopefulness makes it a calorific Christmas treat.

The film "Song Sung Blue" releases December 25th in the US and 1 January in Australia and the United Kingdom.