🔗 Share this article The Song Sung Blue Film Review: An Musical Homage Act Gets a Heartwarming Boost of Movie Magic Courtesy of Jackman and Hudson This film presents a startlingly strange, certainly enjoyable real-life tale from the heartland of the American entertainment world; a lovable crowdpleaser with its uplifting tone does little to warn you for the way the plot repeatedly and savagely twists similar to a precarious carnival attraction. I actually had my eyes closed and mouth open at certain key points, and was grabbing the chair ahead with both fists. The Unbelievable True Tale Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee who had children from previous relationships who in the 90s created a kitschy homage performance to Neil Diamond named Lightning and Thunder; they grew into an underground sensation in their home state and even opened for Pearl Jam, whose guitarist Eddie Vedder good-naturedly joined them during their performance for an additional song. However, life was not easy for them, and this movie contemplates the difficulty that arises when the lightning of ill fortune strikes more than once. Adapting a Real Story It is in fact adapted from a prior documentary film bearing the identical name created in 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a film that was heavily reliant on the family's personal collection of home video. It’s fair to say 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 director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. He, Jackman and Hudson transform the mockery into laugh-with. Jackman delivers a masterful performance portraying a Neil Diamond tribute artist, sounding almost like him, and looking almost like him. He is entirely believable as an individual not destined for in the big league but who clearly has the chops (and the vocal cords) to headline a performance. 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 had a thriving act performing as Patsy Cline. The film depicts her belting out Cline numbers, even though one particular Cline standard is curiously omitted from this movie. Actor Michael Imperioli portrays a Buddy Holly tribute artist called Mark, while Mustafa Shakir appears as a James Brown act called Sex Machine. The role of 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 Sarcasm and mockery have been meticulously excised from Mike and Claire’s heart-stoppingly eventful life experiences, and in their place Brewer substitutes those qualities which the pair personally would have recognized: the fragility and isolation of trying to make it in the margins of the music industry, or for that matter making it anywhere and within any profession. It is a tale of relentless perseverance and its bright hopefulness renders it a calorific Christmas treat. Song Sung Blue releases December 25th in the US and January 1st in Australia and the UK.