In 1990, an ad went out for FIERCE male dancers; 7 men were picked from obscurity and within months were surfing the zenith of fame alongside Madonna in her Blonde Ambition tour and Truth or Dare documentary.
All but one were gay, and Madonna, having recently lost friends to AIDS, 
was outspoken about gay rights and safer sex. Madonna’s timing was excellent – she pushed buttons while at the same time humanizing homosexuality. In the days before Internet, this was a shot in the arm for the gay community. The kiss depicted in Truth or Dare was for some the first gay kiss they’d seen. It was the first real uncensored gay conversation for many.
But tours end. Fame is fleeting. These 7 men went their separate ways. 25 years later, filmmakers Ester Gould and Reijer Zwaa seek to reunite them, or at least the surviving 6. What has happened in the past quarter century? Drugs, alcohol, HIV, depression, homelessness, and lawsuits. Life outside the spotlight is cold.
There’s a nostalgia factor at play here, and the first third of the film is peppered with archival footage that will please even passing Madonna fans. Beyond that, the film only superficially delves into the successes 
and\or failures of these dancers. Despite the prominence of Express Yourself as a theme and an anthem, much is left unsaid. What of these lawsuits? Fully three of the group sued Madonna after the tour ended, despite having been “a family” and having nothing but love for her, and owing her a debt of gratitude. In fact, the only reason offered for the lawsuits is being “caught off guard.” Not a single bad word is spoken against her, but her absence (other than in clips and videos) is distinct.
Is there life after Madonna? Yes. And it might even be interesting, but you’d never know it from this documentary. It’s content with skimming the surface and cashing in on the men’s iconic status. Their 15 minutes evaporated pretty quickly, but this documentary’s impact will fade even quicker.
This post first appeared on Cinema Axis as part of the coverage for the Inside Out LGBT Film Festival.
ASSHOLES WATCHING MOVIES 
Damm I’m on my iPad, can’t get the video….ill be back
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Sounds like this could have been really good done right.
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yes, I had that same impression and that’s why it’s so disappointing. It really doesn’t try to dig under the surface at all.
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What a shame that it doesn’t dig deeper. Truth or Dare was a huge film when it came out along with her book and the video ” Vogue” is iconic. I always love to know what happened to these people that were supporting players. I wonder about the main guys in the Beat It video by Michael Jackson and all those old Ziegfeld Follies gals
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Well let’s hope a more talented director helms those projects! In this case, their taste of fame seems to have messed a lot of them up. It’s hard to go back to the shadows.
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I saw a preview or review for this that made me really want to see it. I’m sad to hear it’s disappointing.
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That’s unfortunate. A good story in there, by the sounds of it … there’s nothing more frustrating than a documentary that never quite digs deep enough.
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Exactly my thoughts. This one actually caused more questions than it cleared up!
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I felt that way about Wolfpack. There was something more to tell …
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So true about Wolfpack. There was a lot going on that they didn’t even touch.
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Would have benefited from being a couple of hour long episodes, I reckon. Definitely needs a follow-up, too.
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Been meaning to see this documentary, so I was happy to see it listed last summer on Netflix. While I get what you’re saying about only scratching the surface, I’m still glad this film was made. I did agree with you on a few points. One, that Madonna’s absence was distinct. That spoke volumes. The nostalgia factor was at full force here. I was never a Madonna fan, (in fact, I think she’s fake AF) but I appreciate what she’s done for the LGTB community. Then again, I was ten times more interested in what happened to the dancers rather than Madonna herself. Nice blog post.
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