source: What We Do Is Secret

Darby Crash wasn't much of a singer, but from what I understood from the movie he was a great philosopher. His lyrics, his thoughts, his individuality made him stand out and I think that's what drew people to him. But at the same time he knew what the audience wanted and he gave it to them at almost any cost. It's truly a tragic story. Shane West in my opinion did a excellent job, I've seen a few of his films before, so for this one it was a complete transformation for him. You could feel the struggle and see the pain in his eyes as he tried to figure out his life and at the same time was sinking in to deep. This film ignited an interest in me, to learn more about the infamous Derby Crash, the man behind the Germs, the man who simple saw what he wanted and took it without trying, but once he had it, it became too much.

Perhaps the be-all dramatization of this place and time is yet to be made, but this is worth seeing. The writer-director was engaged in this labor of love for so long there is hope that the research (first-hand) was thorough enough so that it is not based on rumors and wishful thinking. If it seems a little neat and well defined, we can partly blame the budget. This picture just barely got made. It will not flesh out your drug-addled memories of Sunset Boulevard and may not have any characters based on people you knew. Too bad. You probably just had to be there. If you want just a taste of what it must have been like, it is here, especially the performances (nice job, The Bronx). Given its limitations, it is pretty OK. Also you can let your kids watch it. Nothing too horrible, or at least nothing that isn't going on in every major city all the time. This movie will play well on DVD, improves on second viewing and tells basically how a particular time and place gave rise, very briefly, to THE GERMS. If the survivors aren't complaining, I'm sure not. I'm glad this movie got made. O save me from nostalgia.

I just saw the Germs movie "What We Do Is Secret" in Westwood and it was awesome. The director and several of the actors were on hand which was cool. The music and lyrics of The Germs were a major part of my adolescent years in the early 80's. Usually rock n'roll bio pics just plain suck (they always do on VH1) and I was worried about this movie sucking since I am a huge Germs fan. It didn't suck, it ROCKED! The music was great. The acting was really well done. The directing was tight. The movie was paced well and it did a great job telling the story of a misunderstood band and it's front man, Darby Crash. This movie was obviously written and directed by someone who loved the Germs and it showed. Hats off to the cast and crew for a job well done!!!!!

Rising out of the chaotic, drug fueled punk scene of Los Angeles the Germs while only active for from 1977 to 1980 became a band who transformed the face of punk rock. This film retells the rise and fall of this great band who's impact and influence is still felt today. What We Do Is Secret starts out with Darby Crash being interviewed by a European journalist about his 5 year plan. This 5 year plan could either be one of pure cockiness or did Darby believe that his days were numbered? All we're told is that the plan was inspired by the David Bowie song "Five Years" Throughout the film we see the band fail to get club bookings due to the violent, anarchistic nature of their performances (even though Crash thought of himself as being a fascist), the descent in heroin addiction and a rather hilarious interview segment on Rodney Bingenheimers radio show. During the final 10 minutes of the film the Germs play their final show after which Darby is shown to be in a rather helpless state. Darby crosses path with Casey Cola and the two of them form a suicide a pact. Darby was found dead a day before the assassination of John Lennon. Taking on the hard job of playing the punk icon Darby Crash is Shane West who is absolutely stellar in this role. Often at battle with himself (weak/strong, gentle/aggressive) West portrays crash as the intelligent and cocky young man full of self hatred in such a convincing manner. Following this film West went on to became the front man of the recently united Germs. Bijou Phillips puts in one of her greatest efforts as Germs bassist Lorna Doom (even playing bass on the films soundtrack-with West providing vocals) Rick Gonzalez (Pat Smear) and Noah Segan (Don Bolles) put in equally effective performances. The gritty nasty underbelly of this scene is introduced to us by the cast of misfits, addicts and enablers who I'm thankful are behind the TV screen. What I particularly liked about this film is that it didn't gloss over the fact that Darby Crash was a homosexual. The scene in which Darby is sitting in his bedroom, chest cut open wide with Rob Henley is a beautiful one. Throughout the film we see the nature of their relationship and Henley's desire to become the Germs drummer even though he doesn't have a single bit of musical talent. The punk scene of the 1970s was never one that accepted homosexuality so I found it fantastic that this important part of the story wasn't tossed aside. The soundtrack to this film is wonderful and features the music of David Bowie (2 Ziggy Stardust era songs), Alice Cooper, X and Shane West, Bijou Phillips, Lucas Haas and Micheal Le Blanc recreating the music of the Germs. The Germs contributed to this soundtrack with new recordings of the classics with Shane West on vocals. Darby Crash became a victim of his own creation.

This movie has about as much spirit as an After-School Special. It was like MTV made a "punk" movie that they thought younger viewers would like, as opposed to making this a real documentary about the Germs. It would have been great to have watched video and photos of the band, along with new interviews with Pat Smear, Lorna Doom, etc, since many people in this circle are still alive. The acting is really bad, but I am not sure if that is the actors fault. Some people, like the Germs manager Nicole Panter, aren't even seen in this movie, it is like facts are picked and chosen and some thrown out altogether. I couldn't get the feel of the movie, it is like it wanted to be just a biopic with younger actors (to appeal to the kids!) but then also had a mock documentary within it that made no scene, where the actors talk about Darby Crash. On top of this, I had to look up information about the Germs after the movie was done, because this film gave me next to no real information. It was all form and no substance. It tried to be funny a few times, trying to put subtitles under a guy who the band members couldn't understand, but it was easy to understand them, so maybe "the kids" nowadays laugh at this and it passes for entertainment for those young vapid souls that like The Hills and want to dress up like Hot Topic punks someday. Plus, it made Darby Crash seem like an intellectual with a plan and a Nietzsche book (apparently the only book he ever read, if you watch the movie, that is the feeling I got). And he wrote very bad poetry that passes as something political and deep. The whole movie comes off vapid and pointless. I hoped more for it. By the end of the film, you really don't care why Darby Crash committed suicide, the movie never gives enough depth to it. It's like watching pretty colors for 90 minutes and nothing more.

Saw it at the Philly Film Festival. Shane and the director were present. Though I'm a rock music fan, I had been completely unfamiliar with 1980s "punk", the scene, Darby Crash and/or The Germs (either incarnation). That being confessed, the movie as all good films do puts us in that world, tries to indoctrinate us as to its "rules" and this allowed me to kick back and experience it vicariously and enjoyably. I enjoyed Shane West very much in his TV roles (Once and Again and ER) and his emerging talent for the "big screen" as both an Actor and Musician was obvious from this film. He was presented an award on the evening I saw this film at the Philly Film Festival as and "Up and Coming Actor (or something) and the award seems fitting. I suspect few people over 45 will enjoy this film as much as I did but I still recommend it to those seeking under-the-radar pleasures, grim though they may be.

I can't express how great this movie is! I was dragged to a screening by a friend and this film has inspired me to learn about punk. Learning the history of the Germs and Darby Crash was amazing. I wish that I had the opportunity to see Darby perform live. I think Shane West will go far in his acting career. The drug use scenes disturbed me, but that was about it. Watching Darby's friends grieve for John Lennon the same night Darby kills himself was heart breaking. The music in the film was outstanding and I understand that the ACTORS not the band played the instruments. My hat is off to Roger Grossman for pulling this movie together.

The ascension of The Germs was more of a local buzz of fans obsessed with seeing a self-fatal maniac cut himself on stage and snarl into a cheap mic. I used to be a huge Germs fan, not so much any longer, nevertheless, The film follows Darby's persistent nihilistic struggles as he moves forward with The Germs. I was terrified that this would be a simple boring chronicle with a fade to black at the end with a little blurb about what they're doing now. But I was confronted with a film that bridged an interesting gap between documentary and narrative film. The acting is suburb and the film is easy to watch and mostly accurate, which is surprising! Most 'punk' films are obsessed with a hard and fast sound track filled with the heavy hitting punk bands. This one however sticks mostly with Germs tunes, but fills the void with Bowie (one of Darby's favs) and some fear (they're playing at a club). The film-makers made excellent choices to keep the sound track in a supporting role and let Darby really take the lead, just as his did in the band. Darby, for me, always summed up the punk world view, which is really angry nihilism (talk about irony)and I think this conflict is what he is ultimately struggling against, and also the reason that Punk as a 'movement' is self-defeating. Darby, as a character, is deep. And is artfully played. In the end, I suppose he would have made Nietzsche proud, Darby the anti-hero, the result of aspiring to the role of Übermensch. He found however, the bleak truth behind that famous graffiti, God is dead ~Nietzsche, Nietzsche is dead ~God.

Didn't really want to see this movie because I wasn't part of the punk scene in the 70s. Went with a friend who was really into it back in the day. Darby Crash had this 5 yr. plan that he was going to start a band (the Germs) and that he would be famous one day. Except no one in the band knew how to play any musical instruments. How ballsy was that?! They end up becoming famous for their music, the crazy things they do on stage (Darby cuts himself) and the rioting that used to happen in the audience. Lot of drugs in the movie but in the end you see thats what led to Darby's suicide. My friend told me that the band go on to be a famous LA punk group. The actor who played Darby (the lead singer who formed the band)really did a great job. At the beginning of the movie I didn't know if it was the "real" Darby talking about the past or the actor. Bijou Philips was great too. She was a guitar player who seemed to be the heart of the band. Cool movie. One of those that your not sure about but walk out after seeing it and glad you did.