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Here is a remarkably odd, undeniably entertaining real-life tale emerging from the American entertainment world; an endearing hit with its uplifting tone won’t prepare you for the way the narrative frequently and brutally turns similar to a precarious carnival attraction. I actually had myself shutting my eyes with my jaw agape during several crucial moments, and was grabbing the chair ahead with both fists.

The Unbelievable True Tale

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple who had children from prior unions that during the 1990s created a kitschy Neil Diamond tribute act named Lightning and Thunder; they became an underground sensation within their state and even performed before Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them on stage for an encore.

But things were far from simple for the pair, and this film broods on how tough it is when misfortune's bolt strikes more than once.

Adapting a Real Story

The film is actually based on an existing documentary bearing the identical name created in 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a film that was heavily reliant on the family's personal collection of home video. One could argue that the 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 director Craig Brewer reinvents their story. The director and stars transform the mockery into shared amusement. Jackman absolutely crushes it as a Neil Diamond impersonator, sounding almost like him, and appearing strikingly alike. He is entirely believable 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.

Notable Acting

Hudson is also excellent, doing her own singing in the role of 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 iconic Cline tune 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. Ella Anderson plays Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, and King Princess is Mike’s daughter Angelina of about the same age – with their developing friendship serving as another subtle element contributing to the movie's charm.

The Core Narrative

Irony and satire have been surgically removed from Mike and Claire’s dramatically packed life experiences, 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.

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

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