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This film presents a startlingly strange, undeniably entertaining real-life tale from the heartland of American showbusiness; an endearing hit whose feelgood flavour does little to warn you for how the narrative repeatedly and savagely twists like an unsafe fairground ride. Personally, I found my eyes closed and mouth open at certain key points, while clutching the seat in front of me tightly with my hands.

The Unbelievable True Tale

Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple with kids from prior unions who in the 90s created a kitschy Neil Diamond tribute act 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 good-naturedly joined them during their performance for an encore.

But things were far from simple for the pair, 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 from 2008 by Greg Kohs about this stranger-than-fiction world, a movie that relied extensively on the family's personal collection of homemade recordings. It’s fair to say that the original documentary puts more emphasis on the unrealistic and ridiculous elements of Mike and Claire’s life.

But that’s not how taken by this movie from director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. The director and stars turn the laugh-at into shared amusement. Jackman delivers a masterful performance as a Neil Diamond impersonator, sounding almost like him, and looking almost like him. He is entirely believable as someone who isn’t supposed to be in the big league but who undoubtedly possesses the talent (and the vocal cords) to carry a show.

Standout Performances

Hudson is also excellent, doing her own singing as Claire, who prior to partnering with Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world had a thriving act as Patsy Cline. She is shown belting out Cline numbers, although there is one Cline standard is curiously omitted from this movie.

Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly tribute artist called Mark, and Mustafa Shakir is a James Brown act called Sex Machine. The role of Claire's teenage daughter Rachel is played by Ella Anderson, and King Princess portrays Mike's daughter Angelina of about the same age – and their burgeoning friendship is another underplayed aspect contributing to the movie's charm.

The Core Narrative

Irony and satire have been surgically removed from Mike and Claire’s dramatically packed life experiences, and in their place Brewer substitutes those attributes that the couple themselves would have recognized: the fragility and isolation involved in striving for success in the margins of the music business, or for that matter succeeding in any field and in any business.

This is a tale of relentless perseverance and its cheerful optimism renders it a calorific Christmas treat.

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