DramaMusic

What We Do Is Secret

- American Punk started with a Germ

The true-life story of Darby Crash, who became an L.A. punk icon with his band The Germs. Along with Lorna Doom, Pat Smear, and Don Bolles, Darby Crash completely transformed the L.A. punk scene, while sacrificing everyone he loved, his career, and ultimately his life.

Release Date : 2007-06-23

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Coalition FilmsPicture Machine

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Darby Crash

Original Name : Shane West

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pat Smear

Original Name : Rick Gonzalez

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lorna Doom

Original Name : Bijou Phillips

Gender : Female

Character Name : Don Bolles

Original Name : Noah Segan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Michelle

Original Name : Tina Majorino

Gender : Female

Character Name : Rob Henley

Original Name : Ashton Holmes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chris Ashford

Original Name : Keir O'Donnell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Belinda

Original Name : Lauren German

Gender : Female

Character Name : Brendan Mullen

Original Name : Ray Park

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sebastian Roché

Original Name : Sebastian Roché

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jena Cardwell

Original Name : Katharine Leonard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Malissa Hutton

Original Name : Rachael Santhon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Becky Barton / Donna Rhia

Original Name : Amy Halloran

Gender : Female

Character Name : Amber

Original Name : Missy Doty

Gender : Female

Character Name : Casey Cola

Original Name : Azura Skye

Gender : Female

Character Name : Penelope Spheeris

Original Name : Michele Hicks

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bob Biggs

Original Name : Paul Nygro

Gender : Male

Character Name : Black Randy

Original Name : Chris Pontius

Gender : Male

Character Name : Regi Mentle

Original Name : Brian Gleason

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rodney Bingenheimer

Original Name : J.P. Manoux

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shannon

Original Name : Sara Rivas

Gender : Female

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Leslie Grossman

Gender : Female

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Jan Paul Beahm (September 26, 1958 - December 6, 1980) Who? Well quite, and that may well be the problem for any casual movie fan who happens to like musical bio-pictures. Jan Paul Beahm during his short run for fame was better known as Darby Crash, lead singer and founding member of Los Angeles punk band The Germs. Firmly picking up on the punk ethic for doing it yourself, Crash and his band made waves across L.A. for a short period of time. Much like The Sex Pistols back in the UK, The Germs were blighted by being unable to play venues as their reputation preceded them. With Crash growing ever more erratic as he tried to execute the various strands of his so called 5 year plan, those around him invariably suffered. Here director Rodger Grossman attempts to tell the "true" story of the life and death of an enigmatic young man on a "crash" course to oblivion. With low production values and a choppy attempt at being a semi rockumentary, What We Do Is secret is really only of interest to fans of the band or those wishing to bone up on American punk rock circa 1976-1980. Even tho myself, an ageing old British punker, quite liked The Germs, this film only exists because of two major factors. For the facts are that outside of L.A. they were hardly known at the time. It's only because of Crash's subsequent suicide at a young age {on the day John Lennon was shot and killed} and guitarist Pat Smear's future involvement with Nirvana and the Foo Fighters, that the band have had a reappraisal. With minimal input cut onto disc, one has to wonder if someone is trying to build up a legend that doesn't actually exist? What can be said with confidence is that the film at least brings the L.A. punk scene to notice. With all the historical talk about the New York punk scene that was born out of CBGB'S and Max's Kansas City, it often gets forgotten that L.A. had its moments too. The cast here are pretty much the run of the mill performers one expects from such a production. Ranging from adequate (Shane West as Crash) to very decent (Rick Gonzalez of Coach Carter fame as Smear), Grossman's film will not be remembered for any great thesping. And since Crash is not very likable, or engaging on an intellectual level, the finale is unlikely to strike you with a sadness born out of the waste of a young life. However, the soundtrack crackles with punk vibrancy and emotive potency, and definitely some of the concert sequences have the look and feel of the original punk rock era. But ultimately the piece remains only worth an interest to an undemanding and small selection of music fans. Oh and 70s fashion guru's as well one thinks. 6/10