In the 1980s world of superficial glam realities, nothing could be more defining than the rise and fall of the music duo Milli Vanilli, who are most known for being stripped of their Grammy Award when exposed for their lip-syncing scam. Yet, the story that led to this moment may be less well known.
Girl You Know It’s True is a biopic directed and written by Simon Verhoeven, who starts from the roots of how two boys, Fabrice “Fab” Morvan (Elan Ben Ali) and Rob Pilatus (Tijan Njie), not only found each other in Germany but devised a plan for discovery, catapulting them to become a global sensation loved by an obsessive desire for pop culture by their adoring fans. As dancers, Rob from Germany and Fab from France, they offered a look, style, and chiseled bodies that could not be resisted, especially by German producer Frank Farian (Matthias Schweighöfer) and his cohort Milli (Bella Dayne), who discovered the duo in a nightclub.
When brought to the U.S., Fab and Rob wasted no time falling into the Los Angeles scene of drugs, sex, and fame. Performing their hits, including catching the attention of Clive Davis’s Arista Records, their lie didn’t seem to matter as long as the money rolled in, and it did. However, what makes this story interesting is that the pair did want to sing but lacked talent no matter how hard they tried. They also knew that their reality was going to be their biggest downfall.
Rob (Tijan Njie) (Frank FGarian (Matthias Schweighöfer), Fab (Elan Ben Ali)
“…catapulting them to become a global sensation loved by an obsessive desire for pop culture by their adoring fans.”
Exposing the underbelly of the music business, Girl You Know It’s True sheds light on the natural and talented artists hidden in studios performing and creating because they are unsellable eye candy. In addition, the film exposes another element of how the song and title of the film, Girl You Know It’s True, came from a group of tough inner-city Baltimore kids who sought their credit for stolen creativity.
Even more stereotypical and woven throughout Girl You Know It’s True is the desperation of so many needing Milli Vanilli to continue to be successful, knowing it was all a sham. The many moments of speaking to the camera by Rob, Fab, and Frank vilify the hoax even more as if they were all trying to find valid forgiveness from the viewer or audience who once worshipped them—it’s almost humorous, and it works. However, these moments also move the story toward acceptance and interest. It’s attention-holding and surprisingly mesmerizing for an already-known outcome. A standout performance in Girl You Know It’s True is Matthias Schweighöfer, who plays the relentless and unethical Frank because he carries a certain weight that keeps you fixated and fascinated. He chooses this path and wholly owns it.
Unfortunately, the debacle of Milli Vanilli did not serve Rob, throwing him into the abyss of addiction and homelessness, which neither Milli nor Fab could save him from, ultimately leading to his passing. However, Rob continues to be a singer and performer, dedicating his work to Fab, as does Verhoeven for this movie and Rob’s family.
Girl You Know It’s True is a good movie, even for being two hours in length. It moves and hardly stops short at any one moment. It portrays the players and outer industry folks as they exist, especially in the 1980s and 1990s, which may be more than you want to know, but that’s how things happened—the shoulder-padded singers appearing so strong and stealth was just not so. The music is excellent, the direction is clear, and the story does not disappoint, even though it is true and sadly tragic. The acting makes sense and carries the film until the end. Perhaps what makes Girl You Know It’s True success is that you can’t believe it happened and is true.