"Wham!" Review

 

by John Zenoni

As a huge fan of music and growing up in the 80’s era with pop, punk, new wave, etc., I had to check out the Netflix documentary about the pop duo, Wham!, as they definitely were a big name in the early part of that decade. Yes, while many will consider this short-lived duo (I didn't realize they were together musically for only 4 years) bland and lifeless, in terms of their music, one cannot deny the attention they received during their prime and especially the solo talent of George Michael (he has sold an estimated 100 to 125 million records worldwide, making him one of the world's best-selling artists of all time) that would come out of the pair. The fact that they were the only - at that time - Western pop stars to be allowed to perform in Communist China is interesting to note.

The documentary itself is very in-depth in terms of getting into the backgrounds of both Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael, such as where they grew up, how they met, what their goals were, etc. It showcases their early musical beginnings all the way up to the last concert and you cannot deny the friendship that existed between the two. Call the music fluff or sugary, they both were strong songwriters and knew how to make hits. Even Sir Elton John himself acknowledges this in the documentary when George Michael is presented with a songwriting award.

As Michael gets more into the spotlight, you can see Ridgeley realize that the public is focusing its attention on his friend and so willingly gives up the group without a fight (at least that's how it's perceived in the documentary). The music is also the star of this well-made documentary and definitely lightens the mood. At the end, there is an acknowledgment of Michael’s passing. It's hard to believe that the world lost this enormous talent at such a young age, who in my opinion had one of the best voices of his time. ‘Wham!’ is fun to watch for the music and reminiscing, if nothing else.