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This film presents a startlingly strange, certainly enjoyable true-life story from the heartland of American showbusiness; a lovable crowdpleaser with its uplifting tone won’t prepare you for how the narrative frequently and brutally turns like an unsafe fairground ride. Personally, I found myself shutting my eyes and mouth open during several crucial moments, while clutching the seat in front of me with both fists.

The Stranger-Than-Fiction Story

Mike and Claire Sardina, superbly portrayed by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee who had children from previous relationships that during the 1990s formed a cheesy homage performance to Neil Diamond named Lightning and Thunder; they grew into a cult hit in their home state and even opened for Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder good-naturedly joined them on stage 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.

Adapting a Real Story

It is in fact adapted from a prior documentary film of the same title from 2008 by Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a movie that relied extensively on the couple’s family archive of homemade recordings. One could argue that the original documentary puts more emphasis on the delusional and absurd aspects of Mike and Claire’s life.

Yet this is not the approach this film from writer-director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. The director and stars transform the mockery into shared amusement. Jackman absolutely crushes it portraying a Neil Diamond tribute artist, vocalizing in a remarkably similar manner, and appearing strikingly alike. He’s perfectly plausible as someone who isn’t supposed to be the major leagues but who clearly has the chops (and the pipes) to carry a show.

Standout Performances

Hudson likewise shines, performing her own vocals in the role of Claire, who before she joined Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world enjoyed a successful career as Patsy Cline. She is shown powerfully singing Cline's songs, even though one particular Cline standard that this film interestingly misses out.

Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly impersonator 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 portrays 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 Heart of the Story

Irony and satire have been surgically removed from Mike and Claire’s heart-stoppingly eventful life stories, and replacing them Brewer installs those attributes which the pair personally would have been aware of: the fragility and isolation of trying to make it on the fringes of the music business, or for that matter making it anywhere 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 US and 1 January in Australia and the UK.