by Patrice Downing, Contributing Writer
Nothing screams “’80s” louder than the pop duo, Wham!, which is a pretty radical statement coming from a decade that gave us Duran Duran, Culture Club, Tiffany, and a plethora of other colorful bubble gum pop acts (oh, Spandau Ballet, you know it’s “True”). If your first (and possibly only) exposure to Wham! is the gasoline fight in Zoolander, you missed out on exactly how big a global sensation the pop duo truly was in the ’80s. Wham!, however, is a freshly released Netflix documentary that takes a deep dive into the origins of the effervescent partnership between Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael as it blossoms into a big haired, bebopping, chart-topping, pop institution. Less than two minutes in, Michaels is heard saying, “We were absolutely determined to have a fantastic time,” and that, my fellow ‘80s enthusiasts, is exactly what Wham! is.
We all know that home movies and press interviews are the documentarian’s bread and butter, but thanks to years of diligence on the part of Ridgeley’s doting mother, the research team creating Wham! started off with an even bigger advantage. Jennifer Ridgeley had compiled over 43 scrapbooks, overflowing with clippings and photos, detailing the duo’s development from singing schoolyard pals to worldwide superstardom. She was basically a biographer with unfettered access to the subjects. That, combined with personal videos, press interviews, performance footage, and even fan-contributed home movies, give this doc a quirky tone in keeping with the spirit of the group.
Visually, Wham! is reminiscent of the ‘90s style VH1 Behind the Music series: quick cuts (set to the musical beats), jumping between archival footage, photos, and more recent interviews. Advantageous to this documentary’s overall feel is cooperation from Ridgeley and Michael (sadly posthumously, courtesy of George Michael Entertainment) to narrate, as well as previously unreleased personal video, interspersed with older interviews. Hearing their voices navigate through the film provides a cohesive feel and maintains the ‘80s vibe, almost like you’re watching as it happens in real time and not looking back. It feels a lot like you’re sitting around the living room, reminiscing with old friends, which makes the 92-minute runtime fly by.
Content wise, Wham! does a surprisingly thorough job conveying the ups and downs of becoming pop stars at such an early age. Without going into too many specifics that would spoil a first watch, I will say it never really occurred to me that Ridgeley and Michael were just 18 when they were signed to their first recording deal. This lunchtime contract would come back to haunt them later on, as the naive youngsters were unaware of exactly how much the arrangement financially favored the label. A few years, later they were chart-topping, internationally recognizable celebrities coming home from sellout tours to crash with their parents. I was also surprised to learn the original demo tape they used to secure that deal included the original cut of “Club Tropicana,” as well as a portion of an unfinished “Careless Whisper” chorus. It’s pretty crazy to think that at such a young age, they were already penning the lyrics of what would become some of their most iconic tracks.
This doc also spends some time on an often overlooked, and pretty incredible, achievement the duo accomplished in 1985. Wham! was the first pop act to be welcomed to China to tour and perform. This was due in part to their lack of politically themed lyrics, “youthful exuberance,” and generally wholesome image. A feat that would never have been possible if not for another facet the film also touches on, the personal struggle Michael had with portraying his “character” George Michael, ladies’ man, as opposed to the person he truly was, a closeted gay man. With only Ridgeley and previously recorded interviews to go on, it does come across as the two working in tandem to keep up appearances, with Ridgeley taking the brunt of the public scrutiny for his antics to draw attention away from Michael. Ridgeley claims this was to allow Michael the space to focus on the production and songwriting without the added stress of being in the center of the public eye. While I’d like to believe his motives were purely altruistic, without Michael around to rebuke or confirm his claims, I found it a little heavy handed at times. If all the support and cooperation Ridgeley claims to have provided Michael is the way it really happened, theirs was truly a friendship to strive for and envy.
Overall, Wham! is a fun-filled nostalgia fest for those familiar with the ‘80s, though even if you’re not, there’s still plenty to enjoy. Obviously the music and visuals are upbeat and colorful, but the story being told could easily be mistaken for a time capsule of the era. In the words of Michael describing hope for Wham!’s impact on audiences, this documentary leaves the viewer “with a smile on its face,” and that’s never a bad way to spend your time.
Rating: Liked it
Wham! is currently streaming on Netflix
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