The Song Sung Blue Film Review: A Neil Diamond Tribute Act Receives a Sweet Treat from Hollywood Courtesy of Jackman and Hudson

This film presents a startlingly strange, certainly enjoyable true-life story emerging from the American entertainment world; a lovable crowdpleaser whose feelgood flavour won’t prepare you for how the plot repeatedly and savagely twists similar to a precarious carnival attraction. Personally, I found my eyes closed and mouth open at certain key points, and was grabbing 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 with kids from previous relationships that during the 1990s formed a cheesy Neil Diamond tribute act named Lightning and Thunder; they became a cult hit in their home state and even performed before Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them on stage for an additional song.

But things were far from simple for the pair, and this film broods on the difficulty that arises when the lightning of ill fortune hits repeatedly.

From Documentary to Drama

It is in fact adapted from an existing documentary bearing the identical name from 2008 by Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a film that was heavily reliant on the family's personal collection of home video. One could argue that the original documentary puts more emphasis on the delusional and absurd aspects of Mike and Claire’s life.

Yet this is not the approach taken by this movie from writer-director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. The director and stars 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’s perfectly plausible as someone who isn’t supposed to be the major leagues but who clearly has the chops (and the pipes) to headline a performance.

Standout Performances

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

Actor Michael Imperioli portrays a Buddy Holly impersonator called Mark, and Mustafa Shakir is a James Brown act called Sex Machine. The role of Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, and King Princess is Mike's daughter Angelina who is around the same age – with their developing friendship serving as another subtle element contributing to the movie's charm.

The Core Narrative

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 that the couple themselves would have been aware of: the vulnerability and loneliness of trying to make it in the margins of the music business, or for that matter succeeding in any field and within any profession.

It is a never-say-die story and its bright hopefulness renders it a rich holiday delight.

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