Song Sung Blue Film Review: A Musical Homage Act Receives a Sweet Treat from Hollywood Courtesy of Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson

This film presents a startlingly strange, certainly enjoyable real-life tale emerging from American showbusiness; a lovable crowdpleaser with its uplifting tone does little to warn you for the way the narrative repeatedly and savagely twists similar to a precarious carnival attraction. Personally, I found myself shutting my eyes with my jaw agape at certain key points, and was grabbing the seat in front of me with both fists.

The Unbelievable True Tale

Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee with kids from prior unions who in the 90s formed a kitschy Neil Diamond tribute act named Lightning and Thunder; they became an underground sensation within their state and even performed before Pearl Jam, whose guitarist Eddie Vedder good-naturedly joined them on stage for an additional song.

However, life was far from simple for the pair, and this movie contemplates the difficulty that arises when misfortune's bolt strikes more than once.

Adapting a Real Story

The film is actually based on an existing documentary bearing the identical name created in 2008 by Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a movie that relied heavily reliant on the couple’s family archive of homemade recordings. One could argue that the documentary puts more emphasis on the unrealistic and ridiculous elements in the lives of Mike and Claire.

But that’s not how taken by this movie from writer-director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. He, Jackman and Hudson transform the mockery 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 an individual not destined for in the big league 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 world of Neil Diamond homage enjoyed a successful career as Patsy Cline. She is shown powerfully singing Cline's songs, even though one particular Cline standard that this film interestingly misses out.

Actor Michael Imperioli portrays a Buddy Holly impersonator named Mark, and Mustafa Shakir is a James Brown act known as 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 Heart of the Story

Sarcasm and mockery have been surgically removed from the account of Mike and Claire's heart-stoppingly eventful life experiences, and replacing them Brewer substitutes those qualities that the couple themselves would have recognized: the fragility and isolation of trying to make it on the fringes of the music business, or indeed making it anywhere and in any business.

This is a never-say-die story and its bright hopefulness makes 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.