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This film presents a remarkably odd, certainly enjoyable real-life tale emerging from American showbusiness; an endearing hit whose feelgood flavour won’t prepare you for how the plot 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 Unbelievable True Tale

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, superbly portrayed by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee who had children from previous relationships that during the 1990s created a kitschy homage performance to Neil Diamond called Lightning and Thunder; they became a cult hit in their home state and even opened for Pearl Jam, whose guitarist Eddie Vedder good-naturedly joined them during their performance for an additional song.

But things were far from simple for the pair, and this film broods on how tough it is when the lightning of ill fortune hits repeatedly.

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 heavily reliant on the family's personal collection of home video. It’s fair to say that the original documentary puts more emphasis on the unrealistic and ridiculous elements of Mike and Claire’s life.

Yet this is not the approach taken by this movie from 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’s perfectly plausible as someone who isn’t supposed to be the major leagues but who undoubtedly possesses the talent (and the vocal cords) to carry a show.

Standout Performances

Hudson is also excellent, doing her own singing as Claire, who before she joined 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 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 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 – and their burgeoning friendship serving as another subtle element contributing to the movie's charm.

The Core Narrative

Irony and satire have been meticulously excised from Mike and Claire’s dramatically packed life experiences, and in their place Brewer installs those qualities which the pair personally would have recognized: the vulnerability and loneliness of trying to make it 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 calorific Christmas treat.

The film "Song Sung Blue" is out on 25 December in the US and 1 January in Australia and the UK.