SIFF, Part 2: "Song Sung Blue"

On Monday night after work we went to see “Song Sung Blue,” a documentary about a husband-and-wife singing duo from Milwaukee; he is a Neil Diamond impersonator, and she sings Patsy Cline songs. David had to persuade me to go see this movie; I’m allergic to Neil Diamond, and I feared the worst. But it turned out that the film was very different, and much better, than I expected. (For one thing, Neil Diamond wasn’t in it, so that was a plus right there.)

Mike and Claire Sardina perform as “Lightning and Thunder” (he’s Lightning, she’s Thunder). She’s a single mom on welfare when they meet; he’s a modestly successful Neil Diamond impersonator looking for a singing partner. They pair up and their career begins to build. They’re getting regular gigs in the Milwaukee-Chicago area and they have some loyal and enthusiastic fans; they even get to meet Eddie Vedder and open for Pearl Jam at a music festival. Then a freak accident occurs; while Claire is gardening in her front yard, an elderly driver mistakes the gas for the brake, runs up onto the front lawn, and pins Claire against the concrete front steps of her house, severing her left leg below the knee.

What ensues is a descent into depression, dependency on medication, aborted divorce proceedings, bankruptcy, the pregnancy of Claire’s teenage daughter, a quintuple bypass for Mike*, and the first stirrings of doubt about whether Lightning and Thunder will be able to go on pursuing their dream after all. But, fueled by Mike’s inextinguishable (possibly delusional) optimism and will, they pull themselves back together and begin to get gigs again...shortly after which Mike suffers a cerebral hemorrhage and dies. Eddie Vedder, when he hears the news, sends Claire his condolences in the form of a Gibson guitar and a respectful, heartfelt note of sympathy.

I can see I’m not really getting across to you the true merits of this film. What makes this documentary work so well is the non-chronological, meaningful way in which the details of Mike and Claire’s history and character are revealed, the unflinching honesty of the scenes showing the trials and tensions of their lives, the respect the filmmakers have for the humanity of their subjects even at their worst, and the nuanced way the film explores what it means to be devoted to pursuing a life’s dream, even when that dream looks like a completely bad idea. Recommended, and not just for Neil Diamond fans. Maybe especially not for Neil Diamond fans.

*I’m sure there are some more calamities I’m forgetting to include in this list.