The movie does little to elucidate the experiences and suicidal personality of a singer who was more of a poseur than a musician.
2 Comments
08/02/08
What We Do Is Secret (2008)
43
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:42
Fresh:18
Rotten:24
Average Rating:5.2/10
Consensus: Despite its dynamic subject and reckless anti-glamor, this biopic about the legendary punk rocker Darby Crash fails to translate the excitement its subject generated.
Synopsis: Filmmaker Rodger Grossman’s decade of research led to this gem of movie which looks at the seminal band from the late 70’s LA punk rock scene, the Germs, and their enigmatic lead singer, Darby... [More]
Reviews for What We Do Is Secret
Grossman's movie never delves much below the surface.
09/04/08
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10/18/08
The battering live shows prove West's dedication to the role, but as always there's too little insight into both music and musicians and too much period design
09/12/08
With all his devotion to getting the story right -- and that's a worthy goal, don't get me wrong -- Grossman never captures the insanity and terror, or for that matter the seductive allure, of nihilist L.A. punk in its early years.
08/05/08
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04/23/09
Striving to become the definitive word on an explosion of raw musical and philosophical energy, Secret is mostly about lukewarm actors playing dress up, walking around in punk heritage boots they can't stand up straight in.
08/07/08
Despite a terrific performance from Shane West, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Crash, Secret is a chronology, not a biopic.
08/28/08
A thinly dramatized slice of music history better suited for broadcast on an MTV offshoot than cinematic release.
08/08/08
The final scenes of Secret are its best and, ironically, the original Germs' final moments were said to be their best, too.
09/26/08
The faux interview preserves Darby Crash's self-image, the reenactment in What We Do Is Secret remembers the preservation.
09/12/08
Some of the supporting performances, like those of Phillips and Gonzalez, are very strong, but it's West who lifts the entire film to a whole other level.
08/29/08
Some non-fans may find here a social document, but most should beware of a high-decibel obscenity assault on the ears -- precisely what that shock rock movement wanted.
08/07/08
Not nearly as dramatic or visually captivating as last year's Control ... it does offer an interesting piece of the puzzle from the L.A. hardcore scene that hasn't been explored.
08/05/08
Hits quick, hits hard and never lets go.
09/17/07
How ironic that a biopic about charismatic punk legend Darby Crash -- lead singer of the Germs in the late '70s -- would be so unmemorably bland.
08/08/08
What We Do Is Secret should be kept as anything but a secret.
09/22/07
Feels distressingly familiar and never quite manages to elevate the material with the sufficient drama to make it of interest to those not already passionate about the subject matter.
08/08/08
A labor of love for writer-director Rodger Grossman, this entertaining if superficial biopic chronicles the rise and fall of LA punk pioneers the Germs.
08/21/08
While the singer’s descent into heroin abuse is meticulously detailed through exploitative shots of needles puncturing flesh, Crash’s greater emotional decay gets shrugged off with a sad childhood.
08/06/08
Latest News for What We Do Is Secret
November 03, 2008:
RT on DVD: Get Smart, Futurama: Bender's Game and the Obama DVD Controversy
This week, pick up Steve Carell's sweetly bumbling spy antics (Get Smart), the promising new Futurama movie (Bender's Game), a few early holiday treats (Shrek the Halls, A... More...
October 31, 2008:
The hyperactive emotional landscape begs for psychological insights and cultural revelations that were tied to that historical musical moment. 
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August 22, 2008:
The hyperactive emotional landscape begs for psychological insights and cultural revelations that were tied to that historical musical moment.
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August 10, 2008:
Trailer & Poster review
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