🔗 Share this article The Song Sung Blue Film Review: A Musical Homage Act Receives a Heartwarming Boost from Hollywood Thanks to Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson Here is a remarkably odd, certainly enjoyable true-life story emerging from American showbusiness; a lovable crowdpleaser whose feelgood flavour does little to warn you for how the narrative frequently and brutally turns like an unsafe fairground ride. Personally, I found myself shutting my eyes with my jaw agape at certain key points, while clutching the chair ahead tightly with my hands. 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 that during the 1990s formed a kitschy homage performance to Neil Diamond called Lightning and Thunder; they became an underground sensation within their state and even opened for Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them during their performance for an additional song. But things were not easy for them, and this film broods on the difficulty that arises when the lightning of ill fortune strikes more than once. Adapting a Real Story It is in fact adapted from an existing documentary bearing the identical name from 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs about this stranger-than-fiction world, a film that was extensively on the family's personal collection of homemade recordings. One could argue that the original documentary focuses more intently on the delusional and absurd aspects of Mike and Claire’s life. 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 as a Neil Diamond impersonator, sounding almost like him, and looking almost like him. He’s perfectly plausible as someone who isn’t supposed to be in the big league but who clearly has the chops (and the pipes) to headline a performance. Notable Acting Hudson is also excellent, doing her own singing in the role of Claire, who prior to partnering with Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world enjoyed a successful career performing as Patsy Cline. The film depicts her belting out Cline numbers, although there is one iconic Cline tune that this film interestingly misses out. Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly tribute artist called Mark, and Mustafa Shakir is a James Brown performer known as Sex Machine. The role of Claire's teenage daughter Rachel is played by Ella Anderson, and King Princess is Mike's daughter Angelina who is around the same age – with their developing friendship serving as another subtle element of the film’s likability. The Core Narrative 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 attributes which the pair personally would have recognized: the vulnerability and loneliness involved in striving for success on the fringes of the music industry, or for that matter making it anywhere and in any business. This is a tale of relentless perseverance and its bright hopefulness makes it a rich holiday delight. Song Sung Blue releases December 25th in the US and January 1st in Australia and the UK.