What We Do Is Secret

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What We Do Is Secret

R

2007

1h 32m

Biography

Drama

LGBTQ+

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

45%

Tomatometer

47 Reviews

53%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

A biopic on the legendary punk band the Germs.

Critics 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.

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Marc Savlov

Austin Chronicle

Despite its thorough attention to historical detail and the obvious love of all involved for their shattered subject, What We Do Is Secret is, in the end, awfully sterile for a movie about the Germs.

Rated: 2.5/4

Oct 17, 2008

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John Hartl

Seattle Times

While What We Do Is Secret may not be remembered for much more than West's performance, it's an impersonation worth saluting.

Rated: 2.5/4

Oct 10, 2008

Full Review

Amy Nicholson

I.E. Weekly

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

Rated: C+

Sep 12, 2008

Full Review

Steve Erickson

Gay City News

"What We Do Is Secret" makes a bid for entering Crash into rock'n'roll mythology.

Mar 9, 2018

Full Review

Kelly Vance

East Bay Express

Long live the baby monsters.

Aug 15, 2011

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Sonny Bunch

Washington Times

A docudrama with the production qualities of a made-for-MTV movie about a band that recorded one album and never finished a gig and whose lead singer was a fascist poseur.

Rated: 2/4

Aug 30, 2009

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Audience Member

This movie is criminally underrated. This is hands down one of the best films of all time. Shane West went above and beyond as The Germs frontman Darby Crash. He later on went on tour with the actual band. They were also cameos in the film's ending. It's powerful, entertaining and dark.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/08/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I would have gave it all 5 stars but I didn't, this is a really good movie. Good actors, acting and based on the punk rock band of the 70's The Germs. Based on the life of Darby Crash and his band The Germs rock bio movie so worth the watch. A great go to movie for any fan of Darby Crash, The Germs or punk rock music. The actor that plays him Shane West did so good playing Darby Crash.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Darby Crash lives once more in Shane West's uncanny performance.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/15/18

Full Review

Audience Member

Movie is an incoherent mess. What a shame.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

good musical bio-pic

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It tries but fails. Very hard to take it seriously. Looks too much like people playing dress up, no matter how hard the cast try.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

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Rodger Grossman

Director

Shane West

Darby Crash

Bijou Phillips

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Pat Smear

Noah Segan

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Synopsis

A biopic on the legendary punk band the Germs.

Director: Rodger Grossman
Producer: Rodger Grossman, Kevin Mann
Screenwriter: Michelle Baer Ghaffari, Rodger Grossman
Production Co: Coalition Films, Foundation Films
Rating: R (Brief Sexuality|Language|Drug Use)
Genre: Biography, Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Aug 8, 2008
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 24, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $58.8K
Runtime: 1h 32m