Song Sung Blue Film Review: An Neil Diamond Tribute Story Gets a Sweet Treat from Hollywood Thanks to Jackman and Hudson

Here is a startlingly strange, undeniably entertaining real-life tale emerging from the American entertainment world; a lovable crowdpleaser with its uplifting tone does little to warn you for the way the narrative repeatedly and savagely twists like an unsafe fairground ride. Personally, I found myself shutting my eyes and mouth open during several crucial moments, and was grabbing the seat in front of me tightly with my hands.

The Unbelievable True Tale

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Jackman and Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple with kids from prior unions who in the 90s formed a cheesy homage performance to Neil Diamond called Lightning and Thunder; they grew into an underground sensation in their home state and even opened for Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them during their performance for an additional song.

But things were not easy for them, and this film broods on the difficulty that arises when the lightning of ill fortune strikes more than once.

From Documentary to Drama

The film is actually based on an existing documentary bearing the identical name from 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a film that was heavily reliant on the couple’s family archive of home video. It’s fair to say that the documentary puts more emphasis on the unrealistic and ridiculous elements in the lives of Mike and Claire.

But that’s not how taken by this movie from writer-director Craig Brewer reinvents their story. He, Jackman and Hudson transform the mockery into laugh-with. Jackman delivers a masterful performance portraying a Neil Diamond tribute artist, vocalizing in a remarkably similar manner, 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 pipes) to headline a performance.

Notable Acting

Hudson is also excellent, doing her own singing as Claire, who before she joined Mike in the world of Neil Diamond homage had a thriving act as Patsy Cline. She is shown belting out Cline numbers, although there is one 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 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 of about the same age – and their burgeoning friendship is another underplayed aspect of the film’s likability.

The Core Narrative

Sarcasm and mockery have been meticulously excised from the account of Mike and Claire's dramatically packed life stories, and replacing them Brewer installs those attributes which the pair personally would have been aware of: the vulnerability and loneliness involved in striving for success in the margins of the music industry, or indeed succeeding in any field and in any business.

It is a tale of relentless perseverance and its bright hopefulness renders it a calorific Christmas treat.

Song Sung Blue releases on 25 December in the US and January 1st in Australia and the UK.