‘Wham!’ documentary Netflix movie release in July

Wham! was formed by English pop duo Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael. The pair churned out some of the best-selling and most loved tracks in 80s. Certified records of 30 million were sold from 1982 to 1986. “Wham!” charts the band’s journey from childhood friendship to global superstardom. It begins with Michael and Ridgeley’s upbringing in Hertfordshire, England, followed by their decision to form a band in 1981.

In the UK, the Wham! was released on theatres on June 27. However, the exhibition was for one night. Wham! will be released on streaming giant Netflix on Wednesday, July 5.

“Wham!” tells a fascinating story in which nothing seems sugar-coated and yet everyone comes off well. Ridgeley especially gets his due, after years of being mainly known as either “the other guy in Wham” or as “that guy in Wham who’s not George Michael.”

The short version of the history told here is that the outgoing Andrew and the shy George — real name Georgios Panayiotou — resolved as teenagers to become pop stars. The assumption was that they would write songs together and that Andrew, who was much more socially popular, would become the heartthrob.

Instead, George Michael became the teen idol, even as his songwriting and producing abilities soared, while Andrew went from an artistic partner to a replaceable sideman.

What in this one might catch your eye or ear? The still-so-great songs, of course – and the accompanying videos, about which some sweet and funny stories are shared. Most of all, though, your attention is held by George Michael himself, thanks to his unassuming star quality: a term that sounds like it should be an oxymoron, but you can see it for yourself, lighting up each line and frame of archive material in which he appears. The self-effacing charm, the boyish wit, the regular coy glances from beneath that blond Diana Spencer bouffant – Wham! the film, like Wham! the band, capitalises on all of these, and it’s enjoyable enough to watch this gifted young performer feel his way to icon-hood.

“Wham!” is directed by Chris Smith, a five-time Emmy nominee who’s produced a plethora of Netflix docu-hits, including “Tiger King,” “Bad Vegan” and “Fyre.”

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Sarah H

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