Wham! Movie Review: A nostalgic, swooning celebration of pop icons, George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley!

Story: 'Wham' tunes back to the early 80s when George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley "Make it Big" as one of the biggest pop sensations of the time and delves into why the much-loved band finally split. Review: For anyone who is a George Michael fan, WHAM is a must-watch. Directed by Chris Smith, this documentary is told through the voices of George Michael (archival footage from a BBC interview) and Andrew Ridgeley. From how WHAM was formed to how their chart-busting pop songs and albums got made, this is a 90-minute celebration of the band that broke up too early and the music legend who left us too soon. The documentary takes us back to the time when a 12-year-old Georgios Panayiotou (who later went on to take the stage name, George Michael) met Andrew Rigdeley on the first day of school in North London, and Andrew took him under his wing. We get a sense of how a deep childhood friendship forged the path for them to become one of the biggest musical duos of our times. A duo that signified youth and exuberance.Through realms of archival footage strung together with Mrs.Ridgeley's invaluable collection of scrapbooks, we catch their first few demos for "Wham-Rap!", "Club Tropicana", and even "Careless Whisper". All of which were rejected by recording studios at the time. Yes, even Careless Whisper which George Michael was convinced would prove to be one of the biggest singles. How they burst into the scene with their second single and went on an unstoppable success streak till the band finally decided to call it quits. While Andrew maintained for him it was all about being in the moment and living it up, for George to be taken seriously as a singer-songwriter was an extension of his identity. Something that also becomes the driving force for him to seek out a solo career eventually. The docu also gives us an insight into his natural instinct and flair for knowing the beats of topping music charts. And somewhere along the line, just like it happened with WHAM, the documentary shifts its focus more to George Michael. An interesting narrative arc shows just as both the young men were being hailed as gorgeous, pin-up pop icons in their butt hugging shorts and tight jackets by swooning girls all over the UK and the world, they were also coming to terms with their sexuality. An overwhelming time in their lives, when as 18 and 19-year-olds they felt compelled to stick with the public persona that made them so popular worldwide. At a point when they reach the pinnacle of their success, George Michael finds himself dipping into depression, as the realisation dawns on him, as he puts it in his own words, "Omg I am a huge star and I am gay." It is an affecting moment to see the pop icon grapple with being in the closet at the time. However, he does finally fully come out to Andrew, who lends him his unconditional support.One thing sorely missing in the documentary is contextualising WHAM and its popularity with other icons of the time. But the film serves well what it sets out to do, which is give us a foot-tapping trip down memory lane. Sway and hum along with the unforgettable hits like "Last Christmas", "Careless Whisper" and "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", as the resounding soundtrack takes over. While digging into the back stories. And despite the breezy, celebratory tone, as it ends on a high with WHAM doing their final concert to a packed Wembley stadium in July 1986, it will leave you with that lump of nostalgia in your throat. Especially if you have been a fan.