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This film presents a remarkably odd, certainly enjoyable true-life story emerging from American showbusiness; an endearing hit with its uplifting tone won’t prepare you for the way 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, while clutching the seat in front of me with both fists.

The Stranger-Than-Fiction Story

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Jackman and Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple with kids from previous relationships that during the 1990s created a kitschy Neil Diamond tribute act named Lightning and Thunder; they became an underground sensation within their state and even performed before Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder good-naturedly joined them during their performance for an encore.

However, life was not easy for them, and this film broods on the difficulty that arises when misfortune's bolt strikes more than once.

From Documentary to Drama

The film is actually based on an existing documentary bearing the identical name created in 2008 by Greg Kohs about this stranger-than-fiction world, a movie that relied heavily reliant on the family's personal collection of home video. One could argue that the documentary focuses more intently on the delusional and absurd aspects of Mike and Claire’s life.

Yet this is not the approach this film from writer-director Craig Brewer reinvents their story. He, Jackman and Hudson turn the laugh-at into shared amusement. Jackman delivers a masterful performance as a Neil Diamond impersonator, 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 pipes) 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 enjoyed a successful career as Patsy Cline. The film depicts her powerfully singing Cline's songs, although there is one Cline standard is curiously omitted from this movie.

Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly tribute artist called Mark, while Mustafa Shakir appears as a James Brown performer called 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 – with their developing friendship is another underplayed aspect contributing to the movie's charm.

The Core Narrative

Irony and satire have been surgically removed from the account of Mike and Claire's heart-stoppingly eventful life stories, and in their place Brewer installs those attributes that the couple themselves would have been aware of: the fragility and isolation of trying to make it in the margins of the music business, or indeed making it anywhere and in any business.

This is a tale of relentless perseverance and its cheerful optimism renders it a rich holiday delight.

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