Song Sung Blue Film Review: An Neil Diamond Tribute Act Gets a Heartwarming Boost from Hollywood Courtesy of Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson
This film presents a startlingly strange, undeniably entertaining real-life tale from the heartland of the American entertainment world; a lovable crowdpleaser with its uplifting tone does little to warn you for how the narrative frequently and brutally turns like an unsafe fairground ride. Personally, I found my eyes closed and mouth open at certain key points, while clutching the chair ahead tightly with my hands.
The Unbelievable True Tale
The couple Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple who had children from prior unions that during the 1990s created a kitschy homage performance to Neil Diamond called Lightning and Thunder; they became an underground sensation within their state and even performed before Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder good-naturedly joined them on stage for an encore.
But things were not easy for them, and this film broods on how tough it is when misfortune's bolt hits repeatedly.
From Documentary to Drama
It is in fact adapted from a prior documentary film bearing the identical name created in 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a film that was heavily reliant on the couple’s family archive of homemade recordings. It’s fair to say that the documentary focuses more intently on the delusional and absurd aspects of Mike and Claire’s life.
Yet this is not the approach this film from director Craig Brewer reinvents their story. He, Jackman and Hudson turn the laugh-at into laugh-with. Jackman delivers a masterful performance as a Neil Diamond impersonator, vocalizing in a remarkably similar manner, and looking almost like him. He’s perfectly plausible as an individual not destined for the major leagues but who clearly has the chops (and the pipes) to carry a show.
Notable Acting
Hudson likewise shines, performing her own vocals in the role of Claire, who prior to partnering with Mike in the world of Neil Diamond homage enjoyed a successful career performing as Patsy Cline. The film depicts her belting out Cline numbers, even though one particular 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 called Sex Machine. The role of Claire's teenage daughter Rachel is played by Ella Anderson, and King Princess portrays Mike’s daughter Angelina of about the same age – and their burgeoning friendship serving as another subtle element of the film’s likability.
The Heart of the Story
Sarcasm and mockery have been meticulously excised from Mike and Claire’s dramatically packed life experiences, and in their place Brewer installs those qualities which the pair personally would have recognized: the vulnerability and loneliness involved in striving for success in the margins of the music industry, or for that matter succeeding in any field and within any profession.
This is a never-say-die story and its cheerful optimism makes it a calorific Christmas treat.
The film "Song Sung Blue" releases on 25 December in the US and 1 January in Australia and the United Kingdom.
