🔗 Share this article The Song Sung Blue Review: An Musical Homage Story Receives a Heartwarming Boost from Hollywood Courtesy of Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson This film presents a startlingly strange, undeniably entertaining true-life story emerging from American showbusiness; an endearing hit whose feelgood flavour won’t prepare you for the way the plot frequently and brutally turns like an unsafe fairground ride. I actually had my eyes closed and mouth open at certain key points, and was grabbing the chair ahead tightly with my hands. The Stranger-Than-Fiction Story Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee with kids from prior unions that during the 1990s formed a cheesy Neil Diamond tribute act called Lightning and Thunder; they grew into an underground sensation within their state and even performed before Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder good-naturedly joined them during their performance for an additional song. However, life was far from simple for the pair, and this movie contemplates the difficulty that arises when the lightning of ill fortune strikes more than once. Adapting a Real Story The film is actually based on an existing documentary bearing the identical name 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 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 reinvents their story. The director and stars turn the laugh-at into shared amusement. Jackman absolutely crushes it as a Neil Diamond impersonator, sounding almost like him, and appearing strikingly alike. He is entirely believable as an individual not destined for the major leagues but who undoubtedly possesses the talent (and the pipes) to carry a show. Notable Acting Hudson is also excellent, doing her own singing in the role of Claire, who prior to partnering with Mike in the world of Neil Diamond homage enjoyed a successful career performing as Patsy Cline. She is shown belting out Cline numbers, although there is one Cline standard 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. The role of Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, and King Princess is 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 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 replacing them Brewer substitutes those attributes which the pair personally would have recognized: the vulnerability and loneliness of trying to make it on the fringes of the music industry, or indeed succeeding in any field and within any profession. It is a tale of relentless perseverance and its cheerful optimism renders it a rich holiday delight. The film "Song Sung Blue" releases on 25 December in the US and 1 January in Australia and the UK.