Song Sung Blue Film Review: An Musical Homage Act Gets a Heartwarming Boost from Hollywood Courtesy of Jackman and Hudson
Here is a startlingly strange, certainly enjoyable real-life tale from the heartland of the American entertainment world; a lovable crowdpleaser whose feelgood flavour won’t prepare you for how 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 with both fists.
The Stranger-Than-Fiction Story
Mike and Claire Sardina, superbly portrayed by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, were spouses from Milwaukee with kids from previous relationships that during the 1990s formed a kitschy homage performance to Neil Diamond named Lightning and Thunder; they grew into a cult hit in their home state and even performed before Pearl Jam, with the band's guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them on stage for an additional song.
But things were far from simple for the pair, and this movie contemplates how tough it is when the lightning of ill fortune strikes more than once.
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 movie that relied extensively on the family's personal collection of home video. It’s fair to say that the original documentary focuses more intently on the unrealistic and ridiculous elements of Mike and Claire’s life.
Yet this is not the approach taken by this movie from director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. He, Jackman and Hudson transform the mockery into shared amusement. Jackman absolutely crushes it as a Neil Diamond impersonator, vocalizing in a remarkably similar manner, and looking almost like him. He is entirely believable as someone who isn’t supposed to be in the big league but who undoubtedly possesses the talent (and the vocal cords) to carry a show.
Notable Acting
Hudson is also excellent, performing her own vocals in the role of Claire, who prior to partnering with Mike in the Neil Diamond tribute world 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.
Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly tribute artist named Mark, while Mustafa Shakir appears as a James Brown performer known as Sex Machine. Ella Anderson plays Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, and King Princess portrays Mike's daughter Angelina of about the same age – with their developing friendship serving as another subtle element of the film’s likability.
The Heart of the Story
Sarcasm and mockery have been surgically removed from the account of Mike and Claire's heart-stoppingly eventful life experiences, and in their place Brewer installs those attributes which the pair personally would have been aware of: the vulnerability and loneliness 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 tale of relentless perseverance and its cheerful optimism renders 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 UK.
