🔗 Share this article The Song Sung Blue Review: A Neil Diamond Tribute Story Receives a Heartwarming Boost from Hollywood Courtesy of Jackman and Hudson Here is a remarkably odd, undeniably entertaining real-life tale from the heartland of American showbusiness; an endearing hit with its uplifting tone does little to warn you for the way the narrative frequently and brutally turns similar to a precarious carnival attraction. Personally, I found myself shutting my eyes with my jaw agape at certain key points, while clutching the seat in front of me with both fists. The Stranger-Than-Fiction Story The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Jackman and Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple with kids from prior unions who in the 90s formed a kitschy homage performance to Neil Diamond named Lightning and Thunder; they grew into an underground sensation in their home state and even performed before Pearl Jam, whose 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 misfortune's bolt hits repeatedly. From Documentary to Drama The film is actually based on an existing documentary 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 homemade recordings. One could argue that the documentary puts more emphasis on the unrealistic and ridiculous elements of Mike and Claire’s life. Yet this is not the approach this film from writer-director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. He, Jackman and Hudson turn the laugh-at into shared amusement. Jackman delivers a masterful performance portraying a Neil Diamond tribute artist, sounding almost like him, and appearing strikingly alike. He is entirely believable as someone who isn’t supposed to be in the big league but who clearly has the chops (and the vocal cords) to headline a performance. Standout Performances Hudson is also excellent, doing her own singing in the role of Claire, who prior to partnering with Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world had a thriving act as Patsy Cline. The film depicts her belting out Cline numbers, although there is one Cline standard that this film interestingly misses out. Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly impersonator called Mark, and Mustafa Shakir is a James Brown performer called Sex Machine. Ella Anderson plays 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 Core Narrative Irony and satire have been meticulously excised from the account of Mike and Claire's dramatically packed life stories, and in their place Brewer installs those attributes that the couple themselves would have recognized: the fragility and isolation of trying to make it in the margins of the music business, or indeed succeeding in any field and within any profession. This is a tale of relentless perseverance and its bright hopefulness makes it a calorific Christmas treat. The film "Song Sung Blue" releases December 25th in the US and 1 January in Australia and the United Kingdom.