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This film presents a startlingly strange, undeniably entertaining real-life tale emerging from American showbusiness; an endearing hit whose feelgood flavour 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 and mouth open at certain key points, and was grabbing the seat in front of me with both fists.

The Stranger-Than-Fiction Story

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Jackman and Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee with kids from prior unions that during the 1990s created a cheesy Neil Diamond tribute act named Lightning and Thunder; they became a cult hit in their home state and even opened for Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them during their performance for an additional song.

However, life was not easy for them, and this movie contemplates the difficulty that arises when misfortune's bolt hits repeatedly.

Adapting a Real Story

It is in fact adapted from a prior documentary film of the same title created in 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a movie that relied heavily reliant on the couple’s family archive of homemade recordings. It’s fair to say that the original documentary focuses more intently on the delusional and absurd aspects in the lives of Mike and Claire.

Yet this is not the approach taken by this movie from writer-director Craig Brewer reinvents their story. He, Jackman and Hudson transform the mockery into laugh-with. Jackman delivers a masterful performance as a Neil Diamond impersonator, vocalizing in a remarkably similar manner, and looking almost like him. He is entirely believable as an individual not destined for in the big league but who undoubtedly possesses the talent (and the vocal cords) to carry a show.

Standout Performances

Hudson is also excellent, performing her own vocals as Claire, who before she joined Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world enjoyed a successful career performing as Patsy Cline. She is shown 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, and Mustafa Shakir is a James Brown act 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 serving as another subtle element of the film’s likability.

The Core Narrative

Irony and satire have been meticulously excised from the account of Mike and Claire's dramatically packed life experiences, and in their place Brewer installs those attributes that the couple themselves 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 making it anywhere and in any business.

This is a tale of relentless perseverance and its bright hopefulness renders it a rich holiday delight.

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