Song Sung Blue Film Review: A Musical Homage Story Receives a Sweet Treat of Movie Magic Thanks to Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson
This film presents a startlingly strange, certainly enjoyable true-life story emerging from American showbusiness; a lovable crowdpleaser with its uplifting tone does little to warn you for the way the narrative repeatedly and savagely twists similar to a precarious carnival attraction. Personally, I found myself shutting my eyes and mouth open during several crucial moments, 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 prior unions that during the 1990s formed a cheesy homage performance to Neil Diamond named Lightning and Thunder; they became a cult hit within their state and even performed before Pearl Jam, whose guitarist Eddie Vedder amiably accompanied them during their performance for an additional song.
But things were not easy for them, and this movie contemplates the difficulty that arises when the lightning of ill fortune hits repeatedly.
Adapting a Real Story
The film is actually based on a prior documentary film of the same title created in 2008 by Greg Kohs concerning this surreal reality, a movie that relied heavily reliant on the family's personal collection of homemade recordings. It’s fair to say that the original documentary focuses more intently on the delusional and absurd aspects in the lives of Mike and Claire.
Yet this is not the approach taken by this movie from writer-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, sounding almost like him, 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 vocal cords) to headline a performance.
Notable Acting
Hudson is also excellent, performing her own vocals 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 belting out Cline numbers, although there is one iconic Cline tune that this film interestingly misses out.
Michael Imperioli plays a Buddy Holly tribute artist called Mark, and Mustafa Shakir is a James Brown act called Sex Machine. The role of Claire’s teen daughter Rachel, and King Princess portrays Mike's daughter Angelina who is around the same age – and their burgeoning friendship serving as another subtle element contributing to the movie's charm.
The Core Narrative
Sarcasm and mockery have been meticulously excised from Mike and Claire’s dramatically packed life experiences, and replacing them 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 industry, or for that matter succeeding in any field and within any profession.
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 US and 1 January in Australia and the United Kingdom.
