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Here is a remarkably odd, undeniably entertaining true-life story from the heartland of the American entertainment world; a lovable crowdpleaser with its uplifting tone does little to warn you for the way the plot 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 tightly with my hands.

The Unbelievable True Tale

The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, superbly portrayed by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee who had children from prior unions who in the 90s formed a kitschy homage performance to Neil Diamond called Lightning and Thunder; they became an underground sensation in their home state and even opened for Pearl Jam, with the band's 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 film broods on the difficulty that arises when misfortune's bolt hits repeatedly.

From Documentary to Drama

It is in fact adapted from an existing documentary bearing the identical name from 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a film that was heavily reliant on the family's personal collection of home video. One could argue that the original documentary puts more emphasis on the delusional and absurd aspects of Mike and Claire’s life.

Yet this is not the approach this film from writer-director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. The director and stars transform the mockery into shared amusement. 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 vocal cords) to headline a performance.

Notable Acting

Hudson is also excellent, performing her own vocals in the role of Claire, who before she joined Mike in the world of Neil Diamond homage enjoyed a successful career as Patsy Cline. She is shown belting out Cline numbers, although there is one Cline standard is curiously omitted from this movie.

Actor Michael Imperioli portrays a Buddy Holly tribute artist called 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 of about the same age – with their developing friendship is another underplayed aspect of the film’s likability.

The Core Narrative

Sarcasm and mockery have been surgically removed from the account of Mike and Claire's dramatically packed life experiences, and replacing them Brewer substitutes those attributes 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 indeed making it anywhere and in any business.

This is a never-say-die story and its bright hopefulness renders it a calorific Christmas treat.

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