It's hard to believe that is even in question.... How many similarities does it take. I'm not going to list them all but lets say that they are really the only pop duo from the 80's given the details that it possibly could be...
shareDefinitely. The lead singer (a George Michael-type) reaches fame and a lot of success, while the "musician" (Hugh as "Andrew Ridgely") struggles in life.
shareIt's funny, because poor George Michael has so many personal travails and the much made fun of Andrew Ridgley works tirelessly for Greenpeace.
shareBut don't you know that actually George Michael did all the song-writing as well in WHAM!
Almost entirely Wham! with a dash or two of Duran Duran thrown in for good measure. :)
shareIt was rather brazenly inspired by Wham! what with one of them leaving the group to become a big solo star and the other one left behind. However, the song "Pop! Goes My Heart" and the colorful, jumpy video is closer to stuff Go West (remember them anyone?) used to do.
shareActually they totally remind of the '80's one-hit-wonder band Times Two. They had a hit with Simon and Garfunkel's Cecilia which they remade as a pop song. You can hear it here - http://djtoma.blogspot.com/2008/12/times-two-cecilia.html
Oh, if I was out to get you I’d have you pickling in a mason jar on my shelf by now.
yea well so did madness
shareHEY! is that why i like this film? i just love drew barrymore shea great in all she does! and hughs not bad too!
shareIt's obviously a mish-mash, but I think Wham! is definitively the main inspiration. Even the cd cover to Hugh Grant's character's solo cd is a bit like Andrew Ridgeley's only solo album:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Son_of_Albert
This movie is so naff though, but I can't help watching it to catch all the 80s references.
In the movie they mention Tears for Fears, Flock of Seagulls, etc, and in the DVD interviews, Hugh mentions studying a lot of Duran Duran videos. But it's funny how nobody mentions Wham. Call me crazy, but I think that's clearcut proof that it's TOTALLY WHAM! The buttshake is the clincher.
shareIn the film, the music and visuals are inspired very much by A-ha.
Check out the sound Of the first version of TAKE ON ME by A-ha in 1984, and visually its subsequent reissued release in 1995 (the animated cum live video).
Of course, A-ha split up and got back together and has been making some great albums in recent years. They announced the band will be splitting for good this year after almost 3 decades of on and off working together.
The 'Hugh Grant' cd that bombed (in the cd shop) has an identical cover picture to the real solo cd by Tony Barlow (of Take That).
Love this film-- for anyone who has great fondness of 1980s music.
Watch this if you feel grim & gloomy.