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This film presents a startlingly strange, undeniably entertaining real-life tale from the heartland of the American entertainment world; a lovable crowdpleaser with its uplifting tone does little to warn you for the way the narrative repeatedly and savagely twists like an unsafe fairground ride. Personally, I found myself shutting my eyes with my jaw agape at certain key points, and was grabbing the chair ahead with both fists.

The Stranger-Than-Fiction Story

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple who had children from previous relationships who in the 90s formed a kitschy Neil Diamond tribute act named Lightning and Thunder; they grew into a cult hit within their state and even performed before Pearl Jam, whose guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them on stage for an encore.

But things were far from simple for the pair, and this movie contemplates the difficulty that arises when misfortune's bolt strikes more than once.

Adapting a Real Story

It is in fact adapted from a prior documentary film of the same title created in 2008 by Greg Kohs about this stranger-than-fiction world, a film that was extensively 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 this film from director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. The director and stars transform the mockery 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 pipes) to carry a show.

Notable Acting

Hudson is also excellent, 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 Cline standard that this film interestingly misses out.

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 teenage daughter Rachel is played by Ella Anderson, and King Princess is Mike's daughter Angelina who is around the same age – and their burgeoning friendship serving as another subtle element contributing to the movie's charm.

The Core Narrative

Irony and satire have been meticulously excised from Mike and Claire’s heart-stoppingly eventful life stories, and replacing them Brewer installs those qualities that the couple themselves would have recognized: the vulnerability and loneliness of trying to make it in the margins of the music business, or for that matter succeeding in any field and within any profession.

It is a tale of relentless perseverance and its bright hopefulness renders it a rich holiday delight.

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