🔗 Share this article

This film presents a startlingly strange, undeniably entertaining real-life tale emerging from the American entertainment world; an endearing hit whose feelgood flavour does little to warn you for how the plot repeatedly and savagely twists like an unsafe fairground ride. Personally, I found myself shutting my eyes and mouth open during several crucial moments, and was grabbing the chair ahead with both fists.

The Stranger-Than-Fiction Story

Mike and Claire Sardina, superbly portrayed by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple with kids from previous relationships who in the 90s formed a kitschy homage performance to Neil Diamond called Lightning and Thunder; they grew into a cult hit within their state and even opened for Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder good-naturedly joined them on stage for an encore.

But things were not easy for them, and this film broods on how tough it is when misfortune's bolt hits repeatedly.

Adapting a Real Story

The film is actually based on a prior documentary film bearing the identical name created in 2008 by Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a film that was heavily reliant on the couple’s family archive of homemade recordings. One could argue that the original documentary focuses more intently on the unrealistic and ridiculous elements of Mike and Claire’s life.

But that’s not how this film from writer-director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. 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’s perfectly plausible as someone who isn’t supposed to be in the big league but who undoubtedly possesses the talent (and the vocal cords) to carry a show.

Notable Acting

Hudson is also excellent, doing her own singing as Claire, who prior to partnering with Mike in the world of Neil Diamond homage had a thriving act performing as Patsy Cline. The film depicts her belting out Cline numbers, although there is one Cline standard is curiously omitted from this movie.

Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly impersonator called Mark, while Mustafa Shakir appears as a James Brown performer known as Sex Machine. Ella Anderson plays Claire's teenage daughter Rachel is played by Ella Anderson, 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 surgically removed from the account of Mike and Claire's dramatically packed life experiences, and in their place Brewer substitutes those qualities which the pair personally would have recognized: the fragility and isolation involved in striving for success on the fringes of the music business, or for that matter making it anywhere and within any profession.

This is a never-say-die story and its cheerful optimism makes it a calorific Christmas treat.

Song Sung Blue releases on 25 December in the United States and January 1st in Australia and the UK.