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This film presents a startlingly strange, certainly enjoyable true-life story from the heartland of the American entertainment world; an endearing hit whose feelgood flavour does little to warn you for the way the narrative frequently and brutally turns like an unsafe fairground ride. Personally, I found 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 a Milwaukee married couple with kids from previous relationships that during the 1990s formed a cheesy homage performance to Neil Diamond called Lightning and Thunder; they became a cult hit in their home state and even opened for Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder good-naturedly joined them during their performance for an additional song.

But things were far from simple for the pair, 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 a prior documentary film of the same title from 2008 by Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a movie that relied heavily reliant on the family's personal collection of home video. It’s fair to say that the original documentary focuses more intently on the delusional and absurd aspects of Mike and Claire’s life.

But that’s not how this film from director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. The director and stars transform the mockery into laugh-with. Jackman delivers a masterful performance as a Neil Diamond impersonator, vocalizing in a remarkably similar manner, and appearing strikingly alike. He is entirely believable 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.

Notable Acting

Hudson is also excellent, doing her own singing as Claire, who prior to partnering with Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world enjoyed a successful career as Patsy Cline. The film depicts her belting out Cline numbers, even though one particular Cline standard is curiously omitted from this movie.

Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly tribute artist called Mark, and Mustafa Shakir is a James Brown act known as Sex Machine. The role of Claire's teenage daughter Rachel is played by Ella Anderson, and King Princess portrays Mike's daughter Angelina who is around the same age – with their developing friendship serving as another subtle element contributing to the movie's charm.

The Core Narrative

Sarcasm and mockery have been meticulously excised from Mike and Claire’s heart-stoppingly eventful life stories, and in their place Brewer substitutes those qualities which the pair personally would have recognized: the fragility and isolation involved in striving for success in the margins of the music industry, or for that matter making it anywhere and within any profession.

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

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