My Cultural Diet

You can watch Chris Smith’s Wham! documentary as a film about the band’s meteoric rise up the charts or as nothing more than a fun, frivolous snapshot of ’80s gloss and excess. (With regards to the latter, it serves as an interesting companion piece to Steven Blush’s American Hair Metal, which I reviewed earlier this month.) But with its mix of archival footage, interviews, and even the scrapbooks kept by Andrew Ridgeley’s mom, Wham! is ultimately a film about two best friends who achieved something spectacular while always being there for each other. Wham! does get introspective in places, particularly when George Michael — who died on Christmas Day 2016 — reflects on his closeted homosexuality or his growing need for artistic validation and pop stardom, but the documentary is a celebration more than anything else. Given that so many pop groups have turned on each other due to fame and ego, it’s actually something of a joy to see one of the world’s biggest pop groups of all time go out on a high note, and more importantly, as good friends.

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