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This film presents a remarkably odd, certainly enjoyable true-life story emerging from the American entertainment world; an endearing hit with its uplifting tone does little to warn you for how the plot frequently and brutally turns like an unsafe fairground ride. I actually had myself shutting my eyes with my jaw agape during several crucial moments, and was grabbing the chair ahead tightly with my hands.

The Stranger-Than-Fiction Story

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, superbly portrayed by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple who had children from prior unions that during the 1990s formed a kitschy homage performance to Neil Diamond named Lightning and Thunder; they became an underground sensation in their home state and even performed before Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder good-naturedly joined them on stage for an additional song.

But things were not easy for them, and this film broods on how tough it is when misfortune's bolt strikes more than once.

Adapting a Real Story

It is in fact adapted from an existing documentary of the same title created in 2008 by Greg Kohs about this stranger-than-fiction world, a film that was heavily reliant on the family's personal collection of home video. One could argue that the documentary puts more emphasis on the unrealistic and ridiculous elements in the lives of Mike and Claire.

Yet this is not the approach taken by this movie from director Craig Brewer reinvents their story. He, Jackman and Hudson turn the laugh-at into laugh-with. Jackman delivers a masterful performance portraying a Neil Diamond tribute artist, sounding almost like him, and appearing strikingly alike. 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 headline a performance.

Standout Performances

Hudson likewise shines, performing her own vocals in the role of Claire, who prior to partnering with Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world enjoyed a successful career as Patsy Cline. She is shown powerfully singing Cline's songs, even though one particular iconic Cline tune that this film interestingly misses out.

Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly impersonator named Mark, and Mustafa Shakir is a James Brown performer called 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 meticulously excised from the account of Mike and Claire's dramatically packed life experiences, and in their place Brewer installs those qualities that the couple themselves would have recognized: the fragility and isolation involved in striving for success in the margins of the music industry, or indeed succeeding in any field and within any profession.

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

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