By: Jesse Striewski
The Go-Go’s may forever be remembered as the first group made up entirely of females to pen their own music while reaching the top of the Billboard charts in the early 1980’s. But despite their squeaky clean mainstream image that brought the world such pop staples as “We Got the Beat” and “Vacation,” the band’s punk roots (lead singer Belinda Carlisle was even briefly an early member of The Germs) are often far overlooked. This recently-released Showtime documentary delves deep into those early days, giving each member a chance to recall their own individual accounts the way they remember them.
Director Alison Ellwood paints an immaculate picture of the band’s gritty origins, and the interviews from not only the members of the “classic” lineup, but more obscure ones such as original bassist Margot Olavarria and drummer Ellissa Bello, and one-time bassist Paula Jean Brown, are equally fascinating. Various other musicians, managers, producers, and music writers also lend their insight throughout, and all the typical internal stories of drugs, drama, and debauchery are included, yet somehow still feel uniquely fresh, even to those already fairly familiar with their story.
While the band’s earliest period may be detailed thoroughly, the latter half of the film feels somewhat rushed, and key moments (such as the band’s 1990 reunion) are quickly glossed over or omitted entirely. Still, Ellwood brings the story of the band full circle, ending on an optimistic note that finds the core members performing a brand new song together. Even if The Go-Go’s aren’t your type of thing per se (I don’t claim to be a huge ‘fan’ by any means), the story is more than engaging enough to get lost in it for just over an hour and a half.
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
