The Song Sung Blue Review: An Musical Homage Act Receives a Heartwarming Boost from Hollywood Courtesy of Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson

Here is a startlingly strange, undeniably entertaining real-life tale emerging from the American entertainment world; an endearing hit 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 my eyes closed and mouth open at certain key points, while clutching the seat in front of me tightly with my hands.

The Stranger-Than-Fiction Story

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee who had children from prior unions that during the 1990s created a cheesy Neil Diamond tribute act named Lightning and Thunder; they became an underground sensation within their state and even opened for 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 how tough it is when the lightning of ill fortune strikes more than once.

From Documentary to Drama

The film is actually based on a prior documentary film of the same title created in 2008 by Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a movie that relied extensively on the couple’s family archive of home video. It’s fair to say that the original documentary puts more emphasis on the unrealistic and ridiculous elements in the lives of Mike and Claire.

Yet this is not the approach this film from writer-director Craig Brewer reinvents their story. The director and stars turn the laugh-at into shared amusement. Jackman absolutely crushes it portraying a Neil Diamond tribute artist, sounding almost like him, and looking almost like him. He is entirely believable as someone who isn’t supposed to be the major leagues but who undoubtedly possesses the talent (and the pipes) to headline a performance.

Notable Acting

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 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 act called Sex Machine. The role of Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, and King Princess is Mike’s daughter Angelina of about 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 Mike and Claire’s dramatically packed life stories, and in their place Brewer substitutes those attributes that the couple themselves would have recognized: the vulnerability and loneliness involved in striving for success in the margins of the music business, or for that matter succeeding in any field and within any profession.

It is a tale of relentless perseverance and its bright hopefulness makes it a rich holiday delight.

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