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Here is a remarkably odd, certainly enjoyable true-life story emerging from American showbusiness; a lovable crowdpleaser with its uplifting tone does little to warn you for the way the plot repeatedly and savagely twists like an unsafe fairground ride. I actually had myself shutting my eyes and mouth open during several crucial moments, and was grabbing the chair ahead tightly with my hands.

The Stranger-Than-Fiction Story

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Jackman and Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee who had children from prior unions that during the 1990s formed a cheesy Neil Diamond tribute act called Lightning and Thunder; they grew into a cult hit in their home state and even performed before 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 movie contemplates how tough it is when misfortune's bolt strikes more than once.

From Documentary to Drama

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 family's personal collection of home video. 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 this film from director Craig Brewer reinvents their story. He, Jackman and Hudson turn the laugh-at into laugh-with. Jackman absolutely crushes it as a Neil Diamond impersonator, sounding almost like him, and appearing strikingly alike. He is entirely believable 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.

Standout Performances

Hudson is also excellent, performing her own vocals as Claire, who before she joined Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world had a thriving act 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.

Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly impersonator named Mark, while Mustafa Shakir appears as a James Brown act known as Sex Machine. Ella Anderson plays 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 meticulously excised from Mike and Claire’s dramatically packed life experiences, and in their place Brewer installs those attributes that the couple themselves would have been aware of: the fragility and isolation involved in striving for success on the fringes of the music business, or indeed succeeding in any field and within any profession.

It is a never-say-die story and its cheerful optimism makes it a calorific Christmas treat.

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