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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 the way the plot repeatedly and savagely twists like an unsafe fairground ride. I actually had my eyes closed with my jaw agape at certain key points, while clutching the seat in front of me tightly with my hands.

The Unbelievable True Tale

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee who had children from prior unions that during the 1990s formed a kitschy Neil Diamond tribute act called Lightning and Thunder; they grew into a cult hit in their home state and even opened for Pearl Jam, whose guitarist Eddie Vedder good-naturedly joined them on stage for an encore.

However, life was far from simple for the pair, and this film broods on how tough it is when misfortune's bolt hits repeatedly.

From Documentary to Drama

It is in fact adapted from an existing documentary bearing the identical name created in 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a film that was extensively on the couple’s family archive of home video. It’s fair to say that the documentary puts more emphasis on the unrealistic and ridiculous elements of Mike and Claire’s life.

Yet this is not the approach this film from director Craig Brewer reinvents their story. The director and stars turn the laugh-at into shared amusement. Jackman delivers a masterful performance portraying a Neil Diamond tribute artist, sounding almost like him, and looking almost like him. He is entirely believable as an individual not destined for the major leagues but who undoubtedly possesses the talent (and the pipes) to carry a show.

Standout Performances

Hudson is also excellent, doing her own singing as Claire, who before she joined 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 act called Sex Machine. Ella Anderson plays Claire's teenage daughter Rachel is played by Ella Anderson, and King Princess is Mike's daughter Angelina who is around the same age – and their burgeoning friendship serving as another subtle element of the film’s likability.

The Heart of the Story

Irony and satire have been meticulously excised from the account of Mike and Claire's heart-stoppingly eventful life stories, and replacing them Brewer substitutes those qualities which the pair personally would have been aware of: the vulnerability and loneliness of trying to make it on the fringes of the music business, or indeed succeeding in any field and in any business.

This is a tale of relentless perseverance and its bright hopefulness makes it a calorific Christmas treat.

The film "Song Sung Blue" releases December 25th in the US and 1 January in Australia and the United Kingdom.