🔗 Share this article Song Sung Blue Film Review: A Neil Diamond Tribute Story Receives a Sweet Treat of Movie Magic Courtesy of Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson Here is a startlingly strange, certainly enjoyable true-life story emerging from the American entertainment world; a lovable crowdpleaser with its uplifting tone won’t prepare you for how the plot repeatedly and savagely twists like an unsafe fairground ride. I actually had myself shutting my eyes with my jaw agape during several crucial moments, and was grabbing the seat in front of me tightly with my hands. The Stranger-Than-Fiction Story Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple who had children from prior unions that during the 1990s formed a kitschy homage performance to Neil Diamond named Lightning and Thunder; they became an underground sensation in their home state and even opened for Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them on stage for an encore. But things were far from simple for the pair, and this movie contemplates 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 of the same title created in 2008 by Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a movie that relied heavily reliant on the couple’s family archive of homemade recordings. One could argue 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 taken by this movie from director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. The director and stars turn the laugh-at into shared amusement. Jackman delivers a masterful performance portraying a Neil Diamond tribute artist, vocalizing in a remarkably similar manner, and appearing strikingly alike. He is entirely believable as an individual not destined for in the big league but who undoubtedly possesses the talent (and the vocal cords) to carry a show. Standout Performances Hudson likewise shines, performing her own vocals in the role of Claire, who before she joined Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world had a thriving act as Patsy Cline. She is shown belting out Cline numbers, although there is one Cline standard that this film interestingly misses out. Actor Michael Imperioli portrays a Buddy Holly impersonator named Mark, and Mustafa Shakir is a James Brown act known as Sex Machine. The role of Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, and King Princess portrays 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 Heart of the Story Irony and satire have been meticulously excised from Mike and Claire’s dramatically packed life stories, and in their place Brewer installs those qualities that the couple themselves would have been aware of: the vulnerability and loneliness involved in striving for success on the fringes of the music business, or indeed making it anywhere and in any business. It is a tale of relentless perseverance and its bright hopefulness renders it a calorific Christmas treat. Song Sung Blue is out December 25th in the US and January 1st in Australia and the United Kingdom.