🔗 Share this article

Here is a startlingly strange, undeniably entertaining true-life story from the heartland of the American entertainment world; a lovable crowdpleaser whose feelgood flavour won’t prepare you for how the narrative frequently and brutally turns similar to a precarious carnival attraction. Personally, I found myself shutting my eyes with my jaw agape during several crucial moments, while clutching the seat in front of me with both fists.

The Stranger-Than-Fiction Story

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, superbly portrayed by Jackman and Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple with kids from previous relationships who in the 90s formed a kitschy homage performance to Neil Diamond 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 during their performance for an encore.

However, life was far from simple for the pair, and this movie contemplates the difficulty that arises when the lightning of ill fortune strikes more than once.

From Documentary to Drama

The film is actually based on an existing documentary of the same title created in 2008 by Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a movie that relied heavily reliant on the family's personal collection of homemade recordings. One could argue that the original documentary puts more emphasis on the unrealistic and ridiculous elements in the lives of Mike and Claire.

But that’s not how taken by this movie from director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. The director and stars transform the mockery into shared amusement. Jackman absolutely crushes it as a Neil Diamond impersonator, sounding almost like him, and looking almost like him. He’s perfectly plausible as someone who isn’t supposed to be in the big league but who clearly has the chops (and the vocal cords) to headline a performance.

Standout Performances

Hudson is also excellent, performing her own vocals as Claire, who before she joined Mike in the world of Neil Diamond homage enjoyed a successful career performing as Patsy Cline. The film depicts her powerfully singing Cline's songs, although there is one Cline standard is curiously omitted from this movie.

Actor Michael Imperioli portrays a Buddy Holly tribute artist called Mark, while Mustafa Shakir appears as a James Brown act called Sex Machine. Ella Anderson plays 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 of the film’s likability.

The Core Narrative

Irony and satire have been surgically removed from Mike and Claire’s dramatically packed life experiences, and replacing them Brewer installs those attributes which the pair personally would have been aware of: the vulnerability and loneliness involved in striving for success in the margins of the music industry, or for that matter succeeding in any field and within any profession.

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

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