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This film presents a remarkably odd, certainly enjoyable true-life story emerging from American showbusiness; a lovable crowdpleaser whose feelgood flavour does little to warn you for how the plot repeatedly and savagely twists like an unsafe fairground ride. I actually had my eyes closed and mouth open during several crucial moments, 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 spouses from Milwaukee with kids from prior unions who in the 90s created a kitschy Neil Diamond tribute act called Lightning and Thunder; they grew into a cult hit within their state and even opened for Pearl Jam, whose guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them on stage for an additional song.

However, life was not easy for them, and this film broods on how tough it is when the lightning of ill fortune hits repeatedly.

From Documentary to Drama

The film is actually based on an existing documentary bearing the identical name from 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs about this stranger-than-fiction world, a movie that relied extensively on the couple’s family archive of home video. One could argue that the original documentary focuses more intently on the delusional and absurd aspects in the lives of Mike and Claire.

Yet this is not the approach this film from writer-director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. He, Jackman and Hudson 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 the major leagues but who clearly has the chops (and the vocal cords) to headline a performance.

Standout Performances

Hudson is also excellent, doing her own singing in the role of Claire, who prior to partnering with Mike in the world of Neil Diamond homage enjoyed a successful career as Patsy Cline. The film depicts her belting out Cline numbers, even though one particular 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 performer called Sex Machine. The role of Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, and King Princess is Mike's daughter Angelina of about the same age – with their developing friendship is another underplayed aspect of the film’s likability.

The Core Narrative

Sarcasm and mockery have been meticulously excised from Mike and Claire’s dramatically packed life stories, and in their place Brewer installs those qualities that the couple themselves would have recognized: the fragility and isolation of trying to make it in the margins of the music industry, or for that matter succeeding in any field and within any profession.

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

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