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This film presents a startlingly strange, certainly enjoyable real-life tale emerging from the American entertainment world; a lovable crowdpleaser whose feelgood flavour won’t prepare you for the way the narrative frequently and brutally turns like an unsafe fairground ride. I actually had my eyes closed with my jaw agape during several crucial moments, while clutching the seat in front of me with both fists.

The Unbelievable True Tale

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, superbly portrayed by Jackman and Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee with kids from previous relationships that during the 1990s created a cheesy homage performance to Neil Diamond named Lightning and Thunder; they became a cult hit within their state and even performed before Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them on stage for an encore.

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.

From Documentary to Drama

It is in fact adapted from a prior documentary film bearing the identical name from 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs about this stranger-than-fiction world, a film that was heavily reliant on the couple’s family archive of homemade recordings. It’s fair to say that the original documentary focuses more intently 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, sounding almost like him, and appearing strikingly alike. He’s perfectly plausible as an individual not destined for the major leagues but who undoubtedly possesses the talent (and the pipes) to headline a performance.

Notable Acting

Hudson likewise shines, doing her own singing as Claire, who before she joined Mike in the world of Neil Diamond homage had a thriving act as Patsy Cline. The film depicts her powerfully singing Cline's songs, although there is one iconic Cline tune that this film interestingly misses out.

Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly impersonator called 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 is another underplayed aspect contributing to the movie's charm.

The Core Narrative

Irony and satire have been surgically removed from the account of Mike and Claire's dramatically packed life experiences, and in their place Brewer substitutes those qualities that the couple themselves would have recognized: the vulnerability and loneliness of trying to make it in the margins of the music business, or for that matter succeeding in any field and in any business.

This is a tale of relentless perseverance and its bright hopefulness makes it a calorific Christmas treat.

The film "Song Sung Blue" releases on 25 December in the US and January 1st in Australia and the United Kingdom.