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

Here is a remarkably odd, certainly enjoyable true-life story from the heartland of American showbusiness; a lovable crowdpleaser with its uplifting tone won’t prepare you for how the plot repeatedly and savagely twists like an unsafe fairground ride. Personally, I found my eyes closed and mouth open during several crucial moments, and was grabbing the seat in front of me with both fists.

The Unbelievable True Tale

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 cheesy homage performance to Neil Diamond called Lightning and Thunder; they became a cult hit within their state and even opened for Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them during their performance for an encore.

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.

Adapting a Real Story

The film is actually based on an existing documentary of the same title 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 home video. One could argue that the documentary focuses more intently on the delusional and absurd aspects of Mike and Claire’s life.

Yet this is not the approach taken by this movie from writer-director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. He, Jackman and Hudson transform the mockery into laugh-with. Jackman delivers a masterful performance portraying a Neil Diamond tribute artist, vocalizing in a remarkably similar manner, and looking almost like him. He’s perfectly plausible as someone who isn’t supposed to be in the big league but who undoubtedly possesses the talent (and the pipes) to headline a performance.

Standout Performances

Hudson is also excellent, performing her own vocals in the role of Claire, who before she joined Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world had a thriving act as Patsy Cline. She is shown belting out Cline numbers, even though one particular Cline standard is curiously omitted from this movie.

Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly tribute artist named Mark, while Mustafa Shakir appears as a James Brown act called Sex Machine. Ella Anderson plays Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, and King Princess is Mike’s daughter Angelina who is around the same age – and their burgeoning friendship is another underplayed aspect contributing to the movie's charm.

The Core Narrative

Irony and satire have been meticulously excised from Mike and Claire’s dramatically packed life stories, and in their place Brewer installs those qualities that the couple themselves would have been aware of: 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 never-say-die story and its cheerful optimism renders it a calorific Christmas treat.

Song Sung Blue is out December 25th in the United States and 1 January in Australia and the United Kingdom.