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Here is a startlingly strange, undeniably entertaining real-life tale emerging from American showbusiness; an endearing hit with its uplifting tone won’t prepare you for how the plot frequently and brutally turns like an unsafe fairground ride. Personally, I found myself shutting my eyes and mouth open during several crucial moments, and was grabbing the seat in front of me with both fists.

The Stranger-Than-Fiction Story

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, superbly portrayed by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple who had children from prior unions that during the 1990s formed a cheesy Neil Diamond tribute act called Lightning and Thunder; they grew into an underground sensation 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 strikes more than once.

Adapting a Real Story

The film is actually based on a prior documentary film bearing the identical name from 2008 by Greg Kohs about this stranger-than-fiction world, a movie that relied extensively on the family's personal collection of home video. One could argue that the original documentary puts more emphasis 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. 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’s perfectly plausible as an individual not destined for in the big league but who clearly has the chops (and the vocal cords) to carry a show.

Standout Performances

Hudson likewise shines, performing her own vocals as Claire, who prior to partnering with Mike in the world of Neil Diamond homage had a thriving act performing as Patsy Cline. She is shown belting out Cline numbers, although there is one iconic Cline tune that this film interestingly misses out.

Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly tribute artist named Mark, and Mustafa Shakir is a James Brown performer known as Sex Machine. Ella Anderson plays Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, 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

Sarcasm and mockery have been surgically removed from the account of Mike and Claire's heart-stoppingly eventful life stories, and in their place Brewer substitutes those qualities that the couple themselves would have been aware of: the vulnerability and loneliness involved in striving for success on the fringes of the music business, or for that matter succeeding in any field and in any business.

It is a never-say-die story and its bright hopefulness makes 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.