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This film presents a startlingly strange, undeniably entertaining true-life story from the heartland of American showbusiness; an endearing hit with its uplifting tone does little to warn you for how the plot repeatedly and savagely twists like an unsafe fairground ride. Personally, I found my eyes closed with my jaw agape at certain key points, and was grabbing the chair ahead 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 with kids from previous relationships who in the 90s formed a cheesy homage performance to Neil Diamond named Lightning and Thunder; they became a cult hit in their home state and even opened for Pearl Jam, whose guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them during their performance for an encore.

However, life was not easy for them, and this film broods on the difficulty that arises when the lightning of ill fortune strikes more than once.

From Documentary to Drama

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 movie that relied heavily reliant on the family's personal collection of home video. One could argue that the documentary puts more emphasis on the delusional and absurd aspects of Mike and Claire’s life.

Yet this is not the approach taken by this movie from writer-director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. He, Jackman and Hudson 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 is entirely believable as an individual not destined for in the big league but who undoubtedly possesses the talent (and the vocal cords) to carry a show.

Notable Acting

Hudson likewise shines, doing her own singing as Claire, who before she joined Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world had a thriving act performing as Patsy Cline. She is shown powerfully singing Cline's songs, even though one particular Cline standard is curiously omitted from this movie.

Actor Michael Imperioli portrays a Buddy Holly impersonator called Mark, and Mustafa Shakir is a James Brown act known as Sex Machine. The role of Claire's teenage daughter Rachel is played by Ella Anderson, and King Princess portrays 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 the account of Mike and Claire's dramatically packed life stories, and in their place Brewer installs those attributes which the pair personally would have recognized: the fragility and isolation of trying to make it in the margins of the music business, or for that matter succeeding in any field and within any profession.

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

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