Filmmaker Chris Smith has built a career in documentaries. American Movie was awarded the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary in 1999 at Sundance. Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened is a compelling account of the Fyre Festival fraud, and as executive producer, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness is the 7-part series that hypnotized the nation under lockdown in 2020. His latest is the Netflix documentary simply titled WHAM! about the 1980s English pop duo.
It begins as a portrait of a great friendship between two mates: Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael. The entertainment odyssey is framed through this compendium of scrapbooks of articles and photos by Andrew’s mother. It documents their rise to fame with an appearance on the iconic UK TV show Top of the Pops in November 1982 through the song “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” a massive hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Audio testimonies from Michael and Ridgeley are introduced to provide context. The group dynamic in their creative process is eye-opening. Their melodies are remarkably catchy. “Careless Whisper,” “Freedom,” “Everything She Wants,” and the perennial holiday favorite “Last Christmas” have aged well.
What impresses me most is what a wonderful friend George had in Andrew. George was always seen as the star, and perhaps rightfully so. Surprisingly he was an awkward child, painfully shy. They became fast friends as 12-year-olds at Bushey Meads School in Hertfordshire. Andrew was the support he needed to become a superstar. One thing that comes through is that George Michael was a talented man driven by a need for #1 smashes and success. Meanwhile, Andrew Ridgeley was his faithful buddy along for the ride, happy to play guitar and perform backing vocals. Wham! had many hits, but critics dismissed their importance in pop music history in their heyday. This is an opportunity to reappreciate the complexity of George’s songcraft. Ok, so full disclosure, I enjoy their songs. However, even if you don’t, this is only 90 minutes long. You might be surprised by what you learn. I was.
07-06-23
2 Responses
Very good. I enjoyed their music. I too appreciated Andrew’s devotion as a friend who supported and stayed in the shadows. He saw superstardom in George and stepped back to watch it happen. 3 1/2 ⭐️
Not many people would do that. Andrew had no ego. Maybe if Wham! hadn’t broken up things would have been different…