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Here is a startlingly strange, certainly enjoyable real-life tale emerging from American showbusiness; 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. Personally, I found myself shutting my eyes and mouth open during several crucial moments, while clutching the seat in front of me 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 kitschy homage performance to Neil Diamond called Lightning and Thunder; they became an underground sensation within their 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 not easy for them, and this film broods on the difficulty that arises when misfortune's bolt strikes more than once.

From Documentary to Drama

It is in fact adapted from an existing documentary of the same title from 2008 from filmmaker 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 unrealistic and ridiculous elements in the lives of Mike and Claire.

But that’s not how this film from director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. The director and stars transform the mockery into laugh-with. 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 an individual not destined for in the big league but who clearly has the chops (and the pipes) 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 had a thriving act as Patsy Cline. The film depicts her belting out Cline numbers, even though one particular iconic Cline tune that this film interestingly misses out.

Actor Michael Imperioli portrays a Buddy Holly tribute artist named Mark, while Mustafa Shakir appears as a James Brown performer called Sex Machine. The role of Claire's teenage daughter Rachel is played by Ella Anderson, and King Princess portrays 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 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 installs those attributes that the couple themselves would have recognized: the fragility and isolation involved in striving for success on the fringes of the music industry, or for that matter succeeding in any field and in any business.

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

Song Sung Blue releases on 25 December in the US and January 1st in Australia and the United Kingdom.