WHAM!
A bright, affectionate archive-driven portrait of Wham!'s meteoric pop career and the friendship that powered it.
Overview
A nostalgic look back at the rise of two best friends who became pop legends.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- nostalgic
- uplifting
- heartfelt
- nostalgia night
- music movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found it a polished, warmly nostalgic, and entertaining account of Wham!'s rise, while noting that its breezy memoir format can feel shallow.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Recent interviews with Andrew Ridgeley and archival audio and footage associated with George Michael are carefully interwoven.
The film foregrounds Wham!'s flamboyant image, chart success, and the broader pop culture of the 1980s.
The career arc is framed through the close relationship between childhood friends George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley.
The surviving participant and archival voice material revisit the band's past with moments of self-criticism and reappraisal.
Films like WHAM!, and why
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years
archival music documentary built around the rise, fame, and personal bond of a major pop act
David Bowie: The Last Five Years
warm, accessible portrait of pop stardom shaped by nostalgia, performance footage, and personal history
P!nk: All I Know So Far
feel-good music documentary combining archival material with intimate reflections on friendship and fame
Movie Details
- Director
- Chris Smith
- Release Date
- 2023-06-27
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (108)
Cast
- Andrew Ridgeley
- George Michael
- Elton John
- David Bowie
- Mick Jagger
- Sting
- Freddie Mercury
- Paul McCartney
- Shirlie Kemp
- Pepsi DeMacque
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is WHAM! about?
- A bright, affectionate archive-driven portrait of Wham!'s meteoric pop career and the friendship that powered it.
- What is WHAM! like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of WHAM! as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is WHAM! violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in WHAM!.
- What did critics think of WHAM!?
- Critics broadly found it a polished, warmly nostalgic, and entertaining account of Wham!'s rise, while noting that its breezy memoir format can feel shallow.
- Which films are like WHAM!?
- Films with a similar feel include The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years, David Bowie: The Last Five Years, and P!nk: All I Know So Far.
- How long is WHAM!?
- WHAM! runs 92 minutes.
- Where can I watch WHAM!?
- In United States, WHAM! streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
