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What We Do Is Secret

Mixed or average reviews
Based on 18 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 9 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >
Movie Info
Genre(s): Drama
Written by:
Rodger Grossman
Michelle Baer Ghaffari
Directed by: Rodger Grossman
Release Date:
Theatrical: August 8, 2008
DVD: November 4, 2008
Running Time: 92 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: R for drug use, language and brief sexuality
Starring Shane West, Bijou Phillips, Rick Gonzales, Noah Segan, and Ashton Holmes
This captivating story captures the explosive and tumultuous life of Darby Crash, the seminal singer and songwriter of The Germs. Driven by drugs, music, and rebellion, The Germs became a vehicle that virtually launched punk rock in the United States. (Vision Films)
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Film Threat Eric Campos
These actors and many more make What We Do Is Secret an absolute blast to watch and they do an undeniably perfect job of recreating this notorious scene.
Read Full Review >Variety Phil Gallo
Actor Shane West and writer-director Rodger Grossman have a clear, unwavering perspective on Crash that should entice curiosity seekers and old punks.
Read Full Review >Premiere Pauline Pechin
The aptly-named Crash is played to a tee by West; in fact, his performance was so believable that he's currently on tour with the reformed Germs as the lead singer.
Read Full Review >San Francisco Chronicle David Wiegand
Grossman does a workmanlike job with the film, but his direction and script don't really offer any great insight into Darby's tortured soul.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Michael Ordona
Grossman bangs out a visceral, energized biopic that captures the vibrant idiocy of punked-out youth and a tortured soul gaining his wish of cult status.
Read Full Review >The Hollywood Reporter Chris Morris
Ex-Germs infect biopic with punk authenticity
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Ty Burr
One for the fans, even though writer-director Rodger Grossman and co-writer Michelle Baer Ghaffari labor mightily to spin it into something larger.
Read Full Review >Chicago Tribune Sid Smith
Like so many earlier movie biographies, Secret suffers from bathetic storytelling and dialogue, some of it laughable.
Read Full Review >Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
What's lacking is a feeling for the heat and deafening chaos of actual club shows. The movie hangs back a little, folds its arms and nods its head, rather than rushing the stage or diving into the mosh pit. The tumult is depicted, not captured.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club) Noel Murray
The movie is exciting at times, moving at times, and watchable throughout, but fans of The Germs and L.A. punk may start to pine for what's missing around the time Michele Hicks shows up.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Jeannette Catsoulis
The movie offers too little of Crash's justly revered lyricism and too much of his self-mutilation and manufactured chaos.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Ken Fox
Shane West does a pretty impressive impersonation of the on-stage antics of Darby Crash...Unfortunately, little else in this clunky, half-baked biopic rings very true.
Read Full Review >Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey
Despite a terrific performance from Shane West, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Crash, Secret is a chronology, not a biopic.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Philip Kennicott
You are left with the feeling that either Grossman hasn't done justice to the Germs or the justice they deserved was to spend eternity as a historical footnote.
Read Full Review >Salon.com Andrew O'Hehir
This isn't a boring movie or a dishonest one. But it's a relentlessly literal-minded one, light on vision and atmosphere, that moves through the history of the Germs with a checklist.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Nick Pinkerton
The worst kind of bastard adaptation, Secret subtracts without adding.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 6.5 (out of 10) based on 9 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Candace T. gave it a10:
this film stays so true to the story and really makes the audiance feel like they are apart of the circle too. Shane West does a hands down amazing job as Darby
JW. W. gave it a10:
I recommend the film for both nostalgic and young audiences alike to sneak a peek into the rise of hardcore punk in LA. "Fast forward 29 years. Crash, the infamous Germs singer, has been dead longer than he ever lived, but his mystique lives on in a new movie by Rodger Grossman" --Denise Hamilton
G P gave it an8:
It's refreshing to see a movie that accurately depicts the punk scene. Also, Shane West's performance is superb!
Maria L. gave it a10:
Awesome Movie!! Must See. I felt like I was there during the origins of punk rock!! Shane West is hot.
Jesse E. gave it a9:
I had a great time with this film! I thought the use of documentary / rockumentary style was effective and persuasive. This is a story that I'd never heard of prior to me seeing it, and I couldn't believe that it has had such an impact!? I thought the way in which the story was executed was particularly intriguing, because it was played up in certain moments and played down in others, but in an atypical and refreshing way. I love it when a film can introduce me into a different scene - would recommend!
