🔗 Share this article

This film presents a startlingly strange, undeniably entertaining true-life story from the heartland of the American entertainment world; a lovable crowdpleaser whose feelgood flavour won’t prepare you for the way the narrative frequently and brutally turns similar to a precarious carnival attraction. Personally, I found my eyes closed with my jaw agape during several crucial moments, while clutching the chair ahead tightly with my hands.

The Stranger-Than-Fiction Story

Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee with kids from previous relationships that during the 1990s created a cheesy Neil Diamond tribute act called Lightning and Thunder; they became an underground sensation in their home state and even opened for Pearl Jam, whose guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them during their performance for an encore.

But things were not easy for them, and this film broods on how tough it is when the lightning of ill fortune hits repeatedly.

Adapting a Real Story

It is in fact adapted from an existing documentary of the same title from 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a film that was extensively on the family's personal collection of homemade recordings. It’s fair to say that the documentary puts more emphasis 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 reimagines their tale. The director and stars turn the laugh-at into shared amusement. Jackman delivers a masterful performance as a Neil Diamond impersonator, sounding almost like him, and appearing strikingly alike. He’s perfectly plausible as an individual not destined for in the big league but who clearly has the chops (and the vocal cords) to carry a show.

Notable Acting

Hudson is also excellent, performing her own vocals as Claire, who before she joined Mike in the world of Neil Diamond homage had a thriving act performing as Patsy Cline. She is shown belting out Cline numbers, even though one particular iconic Cline tune is curiously omitted from this movie.

Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly impersonator named Mark, while Mustafa Shakir appears as a James Brown act called Sex Machine. Ella Anderson plays Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, 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 Core Narrative

Irony and satire have been surgically removed from Mike and Claire’s dramatically packed life experiences, and in their place Brewer installs those qualities that the couple themselves would have recognized: the vulnerability and loneliness of trying to make it in the margins of the music business, or for that matter making it anywhere and within any profession.

It 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 1 January in Australia and the UK.