Released December 25th in the US.
Filmed in New Jersey and New York.
Based on truths.
The story: Mike Sardina is a recovering alcoholic who has attended meetings for 20 years to keep things steady.
He works as a mechanic, but his love is being a music performer.
While at a gig at the Milwaukee State Fair where Mike is supposed to perform as Don Ho, he meets impersonator/performer Claire.
Because Mike refuses to perform as Don Ho, Claire suggests, among others, that he try his hand at impersonating Neil Diamond.
He refuses, but after Claire explains the money he could make, he decides to consider her idea.
The two meet up after Mike's performance at the State Fair and decide that they should try collaborating.
Neither are songwriters, but both are great singers and performers.
What they decide on is a Neil Diamond tribute band calling themselves Thunder and Lightning.
They recruit help from friends to make up the rest of the band, and they are set.
When their act gets big really quick, Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam invites them to open for a Pearl Jam show.
This puts them on the map, and things really begin to take off.
But just before they are to debut their first tour, tragedy strikes, leaving them worse off than they were before they started.
Stars Hugh Jackman , Michael Imperioli , Kate Hudson , Fisher Stevens , Mustafa Shakir , Jayson Warner Smith , Jim Belushi , Sean Allan Krull , Jim Conroy , King Princess , Ella Anderson , Hudson Hensley , Cecelia Riddett , Kena Anae , Darius Rose , Shyaporn Theerakulstit
Directed by (& story partly written) Craig Brewer
Rated PG13
DRAMA/BIOGRAPHY/HISTORY/MUSIC
