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Here is a remarkably odd, certainly enjoyable true-life story emerging from American showbusiness; an endearing hit whose feelgood flavour 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 seat in front of me tightly with my hands.

The Stranger-Than-Fiction Story

Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Jackman and Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple with kids from previous relationships who in the 90s created a cheesy Neil Diamond tribute act called Lightning and Thunder; they became a cult hit within their state and even performed before Pearl Jam, whose guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them on stage for an encore.

However, life was far from simple for the pair, and this movie contemplates the difficulty that arises when misfortune's bolt hits repeatedly.

From Documentary to Drama

It is in fact adapted from a prior documentary film bearing the identical name created in 2008 from filmmaker 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 focuses more intently on the unrealistic and ridiculous elements of Mike and Claire’s life.

But that’s not how this film from director Craig Brewer reinvents their story. He, Jackman and Hudson transform the mockery into shared amusement. Jackman delivers a masterful performance as a Neil Diamond impersonator, vocalizing in a remarkably similar manner, and appearing strikingly alike. 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 carry a show.

Notable Acting

Hudson is also excellent, doing her own singing in the role of Claire, who before she joined Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world had a thriving act as Patsy Cline. She is shown belting out Cline numbers, even though one particular Cline standard 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 known as Sex Machine. Ella Anderson plays Claire's teenage daughter Rachel is played by Ella Anderson, and King Princess is Mike's daughter Angelina who is around the same age – with their developing friendship serving as another subtle element contributing to the movie's charm.

The Heart of the Story

Irony and satire have been meticulously excised from the account of Mike and Claire's dramatically packed life stories, and in their place Brewer installs those qualities which the pair personally would have recognized: the fragility and isolation involved in striving for success in the margins of the music business, or indeed succeeding in any field and within any profession.

It is a tale of relentless perseverance and its cheerful optimism renders it a rich holiday delight.

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