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This film presents a remarkably odd, certainly enjoyable real-life tale emerging from American showbusiness; a lovable crowdpleaser with its uplifting tone does little to warn you for the way the narrative frequently and brutally turns similar to a precarious carnival attraction. Personally, I found myself shutting my eyes with my jaw agape at certain key points, while clutching the seat in front of me tightly with my hands.

The Stranger-Than-Fiction Story

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Jackman and Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple with kids from previous relationships that during the 1990s formed a kitschy homage performance to Neil Diamond named Lightning and Thunder; they became a cult hit within their state and even opened for Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them during their performance for an additional song.

But things were not easy for them, and this movie contemplates how tough it is when misfortune's bolt strikes more than once.

From Documentary to Drama

The film is actually based on a prior documentary film of the same title created in 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a movie that relied extensively on the family's personal collection of home video. It’s fair to say that the documentary puts more emphasis on the delusional and absurd aspects of Mike and Claire’s life.

But that’s not how this film from director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. He, Jackman and Hudson turn the laugh-at into laugh-with. Jackman delivers a masterful performance portraying a Neil Diamond tribute artist, vocalizing in a remarkably similar manner, and looking almost like him. He’s perfectly plausible as someone who isn’t supposed to be in the big league but who undoubtedly possesses the talent (and the pipes) to headline a performance.

Standout Performances

Hudson is also excellent, doing her own singing as Claire, who before she joined Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world had a thriving act performing as Patsy Cline. She is shown powerfully singing Cline's songs, even though one particular iconic Cline tune that this film interestingly misses out.

Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly tribute artist named 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 who is around the same age – and their burgeoning friendship is another underplayed aspect 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 heart-stoppingly eventful life experiences, and in their place Brewer substitutes those attributes which the pair personally would have been aware of: the fragility and isolation involved in striving for success on the fringes of the music industry, or for that matter succeeding in any field and in any business.

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.