Song Sung Blue Review: An Neil Diamond Tribute Story Receives a Sweet Treat from Hollywood Courtesy of Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson
This film presents a startlingly strange, undeniably entertaining true-life story emerging from American showbusiness; a lovable crowdpleaser whose feelgood flavour does little to warn you for how the plot repeatedly and savagely twists similar to a precarious carnival attraction. Personally, I found myself shutting my eyes and mouth open at certain key points, and was grabbing 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 a Milwaukee married couple with kids from prior unions who in the 90s formed a kitschy homage performance to Neil Diamond named Lightning and Thunder; they grew into a cult hit 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.
But things were far from simple for the pair, and this movie contemplates the difficulty that arises when misfortune's bolt strikes more than once.
Adapting a Real Story
It is in fact adapted from a prior documentary film bearing the identical name created in 2008 by Greg Kohs about this stranger-than-fiction world, a film that was extensively on the family's personal collection of homemade recordings. One could argue that the original documentary puts more emphasis on the delusional and absurd aspects of Mike and Claire’s life.
But that’s not how this film from director Craig Brewer reimagines their tale. He, Jackman and Hudson transform the mockery into shared amusement. Jackman delivers a masterful performance portraying a Neil Diamond tribute artist, vocalizing in a remarkably similar manner, and looking almost like him. He’s perfectly plausible as someone who isn’t supposed to be in the big league but who clearly has the chops (and the pipes) to headline a performance.
Notable Acting
Hudson likewise shines, doing her own singing in the role of Claire, who prior to partnering with Mike in the world of Neil Diamond homage had a thriving act as Patsy Cline. The film depicts her belting out Cline numbers, although there is one Cline standard that this film interestingly misses out.
Actor Michael Imperioli portrays a Buddy Holly tribute artist named Mark, while Mustafa Shakir appears as a James Brown performer known as Sex Machine. The role of Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, and King Princess portrays Mike’s daughter Angelina of about the same age – and their burgeoning friendship is another underplayed aspect of the film’s likability.
The Core Narrative
Irony and satire have been surgically removed from Mike and Claire’s dramatically packed life stories, and in their place Brewer substitutes those attributes that the couple themselves would have recognized: the fragility and isolation involved in striving for success in the margins of the music industry, or for that matter making it anywhere and in any business.
This is a never-say-die story and its cheerful optimism renders it a calorific Christmas treat.
Song Sung Blue releases December 25th in the United States and 1 January in Australia and the UK.
