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Here is a startlingly strange, undeniably entertaining real-life tale emerging from American showbusiness; a lovable crowdpleaser whose feelgood flavour won’t prepare you for the way the narrative frequently and brutally turns like an unsafe fairground ride. 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 Stranger-Than-Fiction Story

Mike and Claire Sardina, terrifically played by Jackman and Hudson, were a Milwaukee married couple who had children from previous relationships who in the 90s created a kitschy Neil Diamond tribute act called Lightning and Thunder; they became an underground sensation in their home 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 movie contemplates the difficulty that arises when misfortune's bolt strikes more than once.

Adapting a Real Story

The film is actually based on a prior documentary film bearing the identical name from 2008 from filmmaker Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a film that was extensively on the family's personal collection of home video. One could argue that the documentary puts more emphasis on the delusional and absurd aspects in the lives of Mike and Claire.

But that’s not how taken by this movie from director Craig Brewer reinvents their story. He, Jackman and Hudson transform the mockery into laugh-with. Jackman absolutely crushes it as a Neil Diamond impersonator, vocalizing in a remarkably similar manner, and appearing strikingly alike. 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 carry a show.

Standout Performances

Hudson is also excellent, doing her own singing as Claire, who before she joined Mike in the world of Neil Diamond homage enjoyed a successful career as Patsy Cline. The film depicts her powerfully singing Cline's songs, although there is one Cline standard is curiously omitted from this movie.

Actor Michael Imperioli portrays a Buddy Holly tribute artist named Mark, while Mustafa Shakir appears as a James Brown act called Sex Machine. Ella Anderson plays 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 contributing to the movie's charm.

The Heart of the Story

Irony and satire have been meticulously excised from the account of Mike and Claire's dramatically packed life experiences, and in their place Brewer substitutes those qualities that the couple themselves would have recognized: the vulnerability and loneliness involved in striving for success on the fringes of the music business, or indeed making it anywhere and within any profession.

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

The film "Song Sung Blue" releases on 25 December in the United States and 1 January in Australia and the UK.