The Song Sung Blue Review: An Neil Diamond Tribute Story Receives a Sweet Treat from Hollywood Thanks to Jackman and Hudson

This film presents a startlingly strange, undeniably entertaining true-life story emerging from American showbusiness; a lovable crowdpleaser whose feelgood flavour won’t prepare you for how the narrative repeatedly and savagely twists similar to a precarious carnival attraction. I actually had my eyes closed and mouth open during several crucial moments, while clutching the chair ahead tightly with my hands.

The Unbelievable True Tale

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee with kids from previous relationships that during the 1990s formed a cheesy homage performance to Neil Diamond called Lightning and Thunder; they grew into an underground sensation in their home state and even performed before Pearl Jam, whose guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them during their performance for an additional song.

However, life was not easy for them, and this film broods on how tough it is when misfortune's bolt 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 about this stranger-than-fiction world, a movie that relied heavily reliant on the family's personal collection of homemade recordings. One could argue that the original documentary puts more emphasis on the delusional and absurd aspects of Mike and Claire’s life.

But that’s not how taken by this movie from director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. The director and stars turn the laugh-at into laugh-with. Jackman delivers a masterful performance portraying a Neil Diamond tribute artist, vocalizing in a remarkably similar manner, and appearing strikingly alike. He is entirely believable as an individual not destined for in the big league but who clearly has the chops (and the pipes) to carry a show.

Notable Acting

Hudson is also excellent, doing her own singing in the role of Claire, who before she joined Mike in the world of Neil Diamond homage enjoyed a successful career as Patsy Cline. The film depicts her belting out Cline numbers, although there is one Cline standard that this film interestingly misses out.

Actor Michael Imperioli portrays a Buddy Holly impersonator named 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 is Mike's daughter Angelina who is around the same age – with their developing friendship is another underplayed aspect of the film’s likability.

The Core Narrative

Irony and satire have been meticulously excised from the account of Mike and Claire's heart-stoppingly eventful life experiences, and in their place Brewer substitutes those qualities that the couple themselves would have recognized: the fragility and isolation of trying to make it in the margins of the music business, or for that matter succeeding in any field and within any profession.

This is a never-say-die story and its cheerful optimism renders it a rich holiday delight.

The film "Song Sung Blue" releases December 25th in the United States and January 1st in Australia and the UK.