WHAM! -- Sleek Music Documentary Is Fun, but Suffers From Narrow Focus

Review by Sean Boelman

Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael in Wham! Credit: Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

Ask anyone on the street, and they likely know the musical duo Wham!, who is behind some of the biggest hits in pop music — from “Last Christmas” to “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” and more. Wham! is an extraordinarily fun music documentary, but its sleek approach and narrow focus has the unintentional effect of being slightly disrespectful to parts of its lead singer’s legacy.

The film tells the story of the legendary pop duo Wham! — George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley — as they went from being a couple of best friends in the 1970s to being one of the biggest musical acts in the world. Although it does often feel like a “greatest hits” type of documentary, it does a good job of finding a satisfying balance between nostalgia and substance. 

The documentary does a really good job of exploring the friendship between Michael and Ridgeley, and how their relationship evolved due to factors including the spotlight, growing older, Michael’s sexuality, and more. And given that the movie completely eschews talking head interviews, it feels quite personal.

Filmmaker Chris Smith presents the film almost entirely through archive materials, performance footage, and music videos, and he manages to infuse the movie with an undeniable level of kineticism. Smith has a rare gift for creating documentaries that feel like they are transporting their viewer back in time to witness cultural events live.

George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley in Wham! Credit: Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

This electric pacing also contributes to an infectious feeling of fun that allows the film’s 90-ish minute runtime to breeze by. Although fans of the group likely won’t learn anything they don’t know about the iconic musicians, the movie serves as a wonderful reminder of why the duo became such an important cultural keystone in the first place.

However, the narrative device of the documentary is a bit of a double-edged sword in that it also feels somewhat manipulative. By having Michael and Ridgeley “narrate” the story through audio interviews, and stopping well before Michael’s passing, the film would almost have viewers believe that Michael is still alive unless they watch to the *very end* of the credits to see the “in loving memory” tribute to Michael.

Indeed, with a few exceptions — like “Careless Whisper” — the movie focuses almost exclusively on Michael and Ridgeley’s career as a duo. Not only does this leave out Michael’s prolific career as a solo recording artist, but also his work as an activist for HIV/AIDS awareness. Although the portions of the film which deal with Michael’s identity crisis and coming out as a gay man are effective, it feels like the later portion of his life is a glaring omission.

Wham! is an entertaining dive into the history of the iconic musical act, but there’s something that will rub viewers the wrong way about its presentation. For a movie that is so committed to honoring the legacy of these legendary musicians, it’s surprising to see them ignore such an important part of it, but it’s entertaining nonetheless.

Wham! hits Netflix on July 5.

​Rating: 3.5/5