Here is 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. I actually had myself shutting my eyes with my jaw agape during several crucial moments, while clutching the seat in front of me tightly with my hands.
Mike and Claire Sardina, superbly portrayed by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee with kids from prior unions that during the 1990s created a cheesy homage performance to Neil Diamond named Lightning and Thunder; they grew into a cult hit within their state and even opened for Pearl Jam, whose guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them during their performance for an additional song.
But things were not easy for them, and this movie contemplates the difficulty that arises when the lightning of ill fortune hits repeatedly.
The film is actually based on a prior documentary film bearing the identical name from 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs about this stranger-than-fiction world, a movie that relied extensively on the family's personal collection of homemade recordings. It’s fair to say that the documentary puts more emphasis on the unrealistic and ridiculous elements in the lives of Mike and Claire.
Yet this is not the approach taken by this movie from director Craig Brewer reinvents their story. He, Jackman and Hudson turn the laugh-at into shared amusement. Jackman absolutely crushes it as a Neil Diamond impersonator, vocalizing in a remarkably similar manner, and looking almost like him. He’s perfectly plausible as an individual not destined for in the big league but who undoubtedly possesses the talent (and the vocal cords) to carry a show.
Hudson likewise shines, performing her own vocals as Claire, who before she joined Mike in the world of Neil Diamond homage had a thriving act as Patsy Cline. She is shown powerfully singing Cline's songs, even though one particular 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 performer known as Sex Machine. Ella Anderson plays Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, and King Princess is Mike’s daughter Angelina of about the same age – with their developing friendship is another underplayed aspect of the film’s likability.
Irony and satire have been surgically removed from Mike and Claire’s dramatically packed life stories, and in their place Brewer substitutes those attributes that the couple themselves would have recognized: the fragility and isolation involved in striving for success on the fringes of the music business, or for that matter succeeding in any field and within any profession.
It is a tale of relentless perseverance and its cheerful optimism makes it a rich holiday delight.
The film "Song Sung Blue" releases on 25 December in the US and 1 January in Australia and the United Kingdom.
A seasoned travel writer and outdoor enthusiast with over a decade of experience exploring remote destinations and sharing practical insights.
