The Go-Go's

Watch this if you want to understand the trials and tribulations of being in a band, whether or not you're a fan of the Go-Go's.

A great documentary: all the important players are interviewed; there's plenty of interesting content and it all moves along at an appropriately fast pace.

I do think we ask far too much of bands. We not only want them to write great songs and give great performances, but we also seem to want to have pretty much full access to their lives. I do wish we could be kinder to musicians, to the people whose music so enriches our lives.

Showtime does subpar documentaries in comparison to their rival, HBO, but this one was okay. Just a lot of glossing over relevant information. So, Charlotte has a massive drug problem. How about you tell us HOW that was and how it affected everything and everyone around her? Band members repeatedly state Charlotte was out of control, even saying, "She was so out of control, Ozzy Osbourne banned her from his dressing room." And that's it. No details, whatsoever. Now THAT'S a story everyone would want to hear. Outside of those details, it was fun watching all the footage of these adorable cutie pies. I didn't realize how many of their songs I actually knew, probably because they appeared on so many movies and tv commercials. Worth a watch if you're an 80's baby and general music fan.

I recently discovered their first album in a thrift shop. Thought I would give the documentary a view. W0W what a great history lesson!! A must watch for any music buff.

Enjoyed hearing their their insights about the the LA Punk scene and their first UK Tour when they were starting out. After that there was little new information except for the amount of drug use they admitted too and the firing of their original manager.

Seven years together, four albums, followed by intermittent reunions ... sorry ladies, but wait your turn for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The first 45 minutes focus on their formation, punk roots, and breaking through. It's excellent..but it also ruined the film. Let me explain.. 45 minutes in, the focus is on Beauty and the Beat. That's great. Loving it. But then you realize you're halfway through the film. The casual fan/viewer won't see a problem. As a hard-core fan, however, you'll be wondering how the director can possibly do justice to the rest of their history. She can't. The 2nd and 3rd albums, the turmoil, Jane leaving, and the breakup are all crammed into about 30 minutes. Worse, so much isn't even mentioned. Belinda's solo success? About 2 sentences and a picture of the Heaven album. The 1990 reunion? No mention. God Bless the Go Go's? Nope. I could go on and on. Instead, we immediately jump from 1985 to 2000. Next? About 3 minutes later, we jump from 2000 to 2020. No mention of literally anything during that 20 year gap. You then get some final thoughts, hear their new song, and the credits roll. Bottom line: To casual or new eyes, you'll probably love it. Maybe that is what the intention was. To dedicated fans, you will 100% be disappointed. The solution, because of the slow and detailed formula used for the first 45 minutes, would demand the film to be well over 2 hours. But, would the casual viewer want another hour? Unlikely. The length and how the director chose to allocate the time was a formula for disaster. HOWEVER..let me be clear..the first 45 minutes are incredible. The problem is that the film needed about 90 more minutes because of those slow-burn, thorough 45 minutes. This would have been an INCREDIBLE 2 or 3 part documentary. As it stands, you have an amazing 45 minutes followed by an incomplete, rushed, and frustrating 2nd half of the film. 10/10 for the band, though. Maybe a director's cut will be released..I don't see it fixing the problem, however.