Song Sung Blue Film Review: An Musical Homage Story Gets a Sweet Treat of Movie Magic Thanks to Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson

This film presents a remarkably odd, certainly enjoyable real-life tale from the heartland of 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 at certain key points, and was grabbing the seat in front of me tightly with my hands.

The Unbelievable True Tale

Mike and Claire Sardina, superbly portrayed by Jackman and Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee with kids from previous relationships who in the 90s created a cheesy Neil Diamond tribute act called Lightning and Thunder; they grew into an underground sensation within their state and even opened for Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them on stage for an additional song.

However, life was 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 of the same title from 2008 by Greg Kohs about this stranger-than-fiction world, a movie that relied extensively on the couple’s family archive of homemade recordings. One could argue that the original 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 writer-director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. He, Jackman and Hudson turn the laugh-at into laugh-with. Jackman absolutely crushes it portraying a Neil Diamond tribute artist, sounding almost like him, and appearing strikingly alike. He’s perfectly plausible as someone who isn’t supposed to be in the big league but who clearly has the chops (and the vocal cords) to headline a performance.

Standout Performances

Hudson likewise shines, doing her own singing in the role of Claire, who before she joined Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world enjoyed a successful career performing as Patsy Cline. The film depicts her powerfully singing Cline's songs, even though one particular iconic Cline tune is curiously omitted from this movie.

Actor Michael Imperioli portrays a Buddy Holly impersonator called Mark, and Mustafa Shakir is a James Brown act known as 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 is another underplayed aspect of the film’s likability.

The Heart of the Story

Irony and satire have been meticulously excised from the account of Mike and Claire's heart-stoppingly eventful life experiences, and in their place Brewer substitutes those attributes which the pair personally would have been aware of: the fragility and isolation of trying to make it in the margins of the music industry, or indeed making it anywhere and within any profession.

It is a tale of relentless perseverance and its cheerful optimism renders it a calorific Christmas treat.

The film "Song Sung Blue" releases December 25th in the US and 1 January in Australia and the United Kingdom.