★★★1/2

I am certainly not alone in chocking up Norwegian pop group A-ha as something of a one-hit wonder. Despite making one of the most iconic music videos of all time for the #1 worldwide hit, “Take on Me,” in 1985, A-ha has largely been defined by a 3-minute and 49-second synth-pop ballad.

With A-ha the Movie, one might be wondering what the purpose of a documentary about the band might be. Maybe there is an investigation into how a one-hit wonder reacts to the meteoric rise and sudden fall of fame and celebrity? Perhaps, we deep dive into the impact one song’s success can have on a songwriter or performer?

Those ideas work with a flawed premise. Even if “Take on Me” only caught fire stateside, A-ha are 10 albums deep into their career, with an 11th on the way in 2022. They may have achieved two Top 40 hits in the United States, but have earned 23 Top 40 hits in their native country of Norway, including nine #1 hits. Depending on what calculations you work with and what source you use, A-ha have sold anywhere from 50-100 million records worldwide. There are a big freaking deal.

Which is why A-ha the Movie is, in one way, such a curiosity. For starters, directors Thomas Robsahm and Aslaug Holm have made a really interesting documentary of a band who have been through the highs of lows of success and are still powering through. Internal squabbles have threated the band’s existence on several occasions and yet, when the time is right, they find their way back with one another.

Perhaps with each band member pushing 60 years of age, they have abandoned care and concern over filtering their words. Lead singer and former teen pin-up Morten Harket has retained his handsome looks and has his poster-ready smile always at the ready. Guitarist Paul Waaktaar-Savoy is the workhorse, in terms of writing and arranging, cultivating a career working for other artists outside of A-ha, while keyboardist Magne Furuholmen seems to be the calming voice of reason in many situations. Together, they have familial respect for one another, even when they need time apart.

Robsahm’s film may not sound interesting to anyone unfamiliar with the band. If you look at the film from a strictly storytelling aspect, you find a trio of artists who are constantly amplified by and consumed by the effects celebrity has had on them. With their level of success, A-ha can better define the parameters with which they jump into and out of the spotlight. Clearly, this film and a forthcoming album indicates they have got that itch to be seen again.

As much as possible, A-ha are presented as three guys whose job is to make music. There is an unassuming nature to all of this, which makes it hit a bit differently than other music documentaries. Robsahm is simply in the room, tailing the band, capturing what he can. He creates a demystifying of celebrity here; made all the more curious for those who incorrectly associate the band as three guys with one hit song, more than 35 years ago.

Suffice to say, A-ha the Movie is a music documentary I didn’t know I wanted. The insights it provides are thoughtful and honest and by the end, I rather enjoyed the time spent with a band I knew very little about.

A-ha the Movie was screened as the opening night film for SIFF DocFest 2021.