“Girl You Know It’s True” starts with Tijan Njie’s Robert Pilatus and Elan Ben Ali’s Fabrice Morvan greeting us from their debauched hotel room. Their initial set-up speech re-introduces the musical phenomenon that was Milli Vanilli. The premise is tinted with the implication of “you should know about them.” At the same time, it channels the understanding of “why you might not have heard about them.” This acts as the premonition of what writer-director Simon Verhoeven has in mind for this biopic of the German pop sensation duo collectively known as ‘Milli Vanilli.’
For sure, “Girl You Know It’s True” spends the majority of its screen time ramping up the depiction of how Milli Vanilli became the chart-busting musical duo in the late eighties. It shines and embellishes the inherent magnetism of personality that Rob and Fab had. Verhoeven carefully constructs them a little too carefully so that we know that this house of cards is being readied for a mighty fall. In that way, “Girl You Know It’s True” is safe and formulaic. However, the intrigue lies in the creation of these demigods, thanks to the performance of the two lead actors.
The film starts with a cool opening premise where Rob and Fab break the fourth wall to introduce themselves and Frank Farian (Matthias Schweighofer). Frank was a German music producer, and his crown jewel was the hugely popular Boney M. We are also acquainted with Frank’s then-girlfriend, Ingrid, also known as Millie (Bella Dayne). It is Millie who finds Rob and Fab and arranges a meeting with Frank. The young duo, already dazzling with their long hairdo and dynamic chemistry, seems to impress Frank. However, it is not the exact dreams-come-true situation they hoped it to be.
Like in a horror movie where the unsuspecting revelers start to feel more and more trapped with each passing minute, our dynamic duo starts to feel the same. Sure, Frank makes them an overnight sensation. However, it comes at the expense of having no creative control over their ‘creations.’ Their songs are stolen from obscure artists. Their singing is also stolen from other less-presentable but more-talented singers. Yes, just in case you are unaware of the entire Milli Vanilli controversy, Rob and Fab never sing a note for any of their supposed songs. They bring an energetic visual performance with choreography and lip-syncing. And their enigmatic charm continues to rule the hearts of their fans, especially that of women.
However, as is often the case with group projects, Milli Vanilli’s success brings chaotic creative differences. Inevitably, doom knocks on their doors as their secret of not singing their own songs gets in the open. Verhoeven’s script, understandably, cast a different look on the entire controversy. With sporadic attempts at breaking the fourth wall, Verhoeven tries to explore the emotional struggle that both Rob and Fab went through. It depicts the optimistic naivete of the duo, blended with the right amount of pathos. “Girl You Know It’s True” focuses on Rob and Fab drowning in a web of lies. They desperately try to breathe, to escape that mesh. They want to tell the world the truth. But, the opportunity is taken away from them.
Both the young actors, Tijan Njie and Elan Ben Ali, contribute to making the film feel poignant despite it also being run-of-the-mill. They bring the physical chemistry of their characters with passionate zeal, the chemistry that made Milli Vanilli the worldwide name it was. Njie and Ali make it possible for the audience to wonder whether Rob and Fab’s lip-syncing performance was maligned a little too heavily. Perhaps without the charade, they could have gotten the credit they deserved instead of the vilification. The two lead actors are earnest when their characters dream, and they are passionately heartbreaking when those dreams shatter. They are ably backed by the experienced German actor Matthias Schweighofer as Frank.
In “Girl You Know It’s True,” Simon Verhoeven highlights the thin line that separates fame from infamy. The story’s structure remains simplistic. The chaotic high is followed by the somber low. The expected thrills precede the predictably poignant end. It is not novel, but perhaps it is fitting.
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