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Here is a startlingly strange, undeniably entertaining real-life tale emerging from the American entertainment world; a lovable crowdpleaser whose feelgood flavour does little to warn you for how the narrative repeatedly and savagely twists similar to a precarious carnival attraction. Personally, I found my eyes closed and mouth open at certain key points, while clutching the seat in front of me tightly with my hands.

The Unbelievable True Tale

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, superbly portrayed by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple who had children from previous relationships that during the 1990s formed a kitschy homage performance to Neil Diamond named Lightning and Thunder; they became a cult hit in their home state and even opened for Pearl Jam, whose guitarist Eddie Vedder good-naturedly joined them on stage for an encore.

However, life was far from simple for the pair, and this film broods on the difficulty that arises when misfortune's bolt strikes more than once.

From Documentary to Drama

It is in fact adapted from a prior documentary film of the same title from 2008 by Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a movie that relied extensively on the couple’s family archive of home video. It’s fair to say that the documentary focuses more intently on the delusional and absurd aspects in the lives of Mike and Claire.

Yet this is not the approach taken by this movie from writer-director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. The director and stars transform the mockery into laugh-with. Jackman delivers a masterful performance portraying a Neil Diamond tribute artist, sounding almost like him, 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 pipes) to headline a performance.

Notable Acting

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. She is shown powerfully singing Cline's songs, even though one particular Cline standard is curiously omitted from this movie.

Actor Michael Imperioli portrays a Buddy Holly impersonator called Mark, and Mustafa Shakir is a James Brown act known as Sex Machine. Ella Anderson plays Claire's teenage daughter Rachel is played by Ella Anderson, and King Princess is Mike’s daughter Angelina who is around the same age – and their burgeoning friendship serving as another subtle element of the film’s likability.

The Core Narrative

Irony and satire have been surgically removed from the account of Mike and Claire's heart-stoppingly eventful life experiences, and in their place Brewer substitutes those qualities which the pair personally would have been aware of: the fragility and isolation of trying to make it in the margins of the music business, or for that matter making it anywhere and in any business.

It is a never-say-die story and its cheerful optimism makes it a calorific Christmas treat.

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