🔗 Share this article

This film presents a remarkably odd, undeniably entertaining true-life story emerging from the American entertainment world; a lovable crowdpleaser whose feelgood flavour does little to warn you for the way the plot 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 chair ahead with both fists.

The Unbelievable True Tale

Mike and Claire Sardina, superbly portrayed by Jackman and Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee who had children from previous relationships that during the 1990s formed a cheesy Neil Diamond tribute act called Lightning and Thunder; they grew into a cult hit within their state and even opened for Pearl Jam, whose guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them during their performance 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 strikes more than once.

From Documentary to Drama

It is in fact adapted from a prior documentary film of the same title created in 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs about this stranger-than-fiction world, a movie that relied heavily reliant on the couple’s family archive of homemade recordings. One could argue that the original documentary focuses more intently on the delusional and absurd aspects in the lives of Mike and Claire.

But that’s not how this film from writer-director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. He, Jackman and Hudson turn the laugh-at into laugh-with. Jackman absolutely crushes it as a Neil Diamond impersonator, sounding almost like him, and looking almost like him. He’s perfectly plausible as someone who isn’t supposed to be in the big league but who clearly has the chops (and the vocal cords) to carry a show.

Notable Acting

Hudson likewise shines, doing her own singing in the role of Claire, who prior to partnering with 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 Cline standard that this film interestingly misses out.

Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly impersonator called Mark, and Mustafa Shakir is a James Brown act known as Sex Machine. Ella Anderson plays Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, and King Princess portrays Mike’s daughter Angelina of about the same age – with their developing friendship serving as another subtle element of the film’s likability.

The Heart of the Story

Irony and satire have been surgically removed from the account of Mike and Claire's heart-stoppingly eventful life stories, and in their place Brewer installs those qualities which the pair personally would have recognized: the vulnerability and loneliness of trying to make it in the margins of the music industry, or for that matter succeeding in any field and in any business.

It is a tale of relentless perseverance and its bright hopefulness renders it a calorific Christmas treat.

Song Sung Blue is out on 25 December in the United States and 1 January in Australia and the United Kingdom.