This film presents a startlingly strange, certainly enjoyable true-life story emerging from American showbusiness; an endearing hit whose feelgood flavour does little to warn you for how the narrative frequently and brutally turns similar to a precarious carnival attraction. I actually had my eyes closed with my jaw agape during several crucial moments, while clutching the seat in front of me tightly with my hands.
The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, superbly portrayed by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple with kids from prior unions that during the 1990s 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 amiably accompanied them on stage for an additional song.
But things were far from simple for the pair, and this film broods on how tough it is when misfortune's bolt hits repeatedly.
The film is actually based on a prior documentary film bearing the identical name created in 2008 by Greg Kohs about this stranger-than-fiction world, a movie that relied extensively on the family's personal collection of home video. It’s fair to say that the documentary focuses more intently on the delusional and absurd aspects in the lives of Mike and Claire.
But that’s not how taken by this movie from director Craig Brewer reinvents their story. The director and stars transform the mockery into laugh-with. Jackman absolutely crushes it as a Neil Diamond impersonator, vocalizing in a remarkably similar manner, and looking almost like him. He is entirely believable as an individual not destined for in the big league but who clearly has the chops (and the vocal cords) to headline a performance.
Hudson likewise shines, 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 performing as Patsy Cline. She is shown belting out Cline numbers, although there is one Cline standard that this film interestingly misses out.
Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly tribute artist called Mark, while Mustafa Shakir appears as a James Brown act called Sex Machine. The role of Claire's teenage daughter Rachel is played by Ella Anderson, and King Princess is Mike’s daughter Angelina of about the same age – and their burgeoning friendship is another underplayed aspect contributing to the movie's charm.
Irony and satire have been meticulously excised from the account of Mike and Claire's heart-stoppingly eventful life stories, and in their place Brewer substitutes those qualities which the pair personally would have been aware of: the vulnerability and loneliness involved in striving for success on the fringes of the music business, or indeed succeeding in any field and in any business.
This is a tale of relentless perseverance and its bright hopefulness renders it a rich holiday delight.
Song Sung Blue is out December 25th in the US and January 1st in Australia and the UK.
Lena Hoffmann is a seasoned journalist with a passion for uncovering stories that matter, specializing in German current affairs and digital media trends.
