Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls

Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls has been playing to packed audiences at queer film festivals throughout the US. A New Zealand-made documentary directed by Leanne Pooley for Diva Films, Ltd., Topp Twins is one of those must-see documentaries preserving our political, cultural and historical heritage. These types of documentaries are often a drag, but Topp Twins gives a big payout: it’s as entertaining as it is informative.

It seems the Topp Twins, Jools and Lynda, were stars before they were 24. Archival footage of the lesbian sisters busking in Christchurch in the early 80s, performing at the New Zealand Music Awards circa the late 80s, on tour of New Zealand for their latest album with a tractor-pulled entourage in the 90s, and of course, the grounding current day performance weaves the entire story together.

The duo also performs sketch comedy as such beloved characters as Ken Smythe and Ken Moller, known throughout New Zealand as Ken & Ken.

The twins work hard and play hard. Jools, at one point in their reminiscences reveals, “It’s not a career, it’s a lifestyle.”

Interwoven with the twins’ performances, television and other footage are interviews with entertainers and others in the biz extolling the virtues of the Topp Twins and their unique place in the entertainment world. English alt musician and activist Billy Bragg says they use country music subversively to move their progressive political agenda forward. A New Zealand satirist calls them “relatively shameless” while their parents are adamant the twins have never done anything to embarrass them.

My Rating: 4.5 stars. This entertaining and informative documentary is, as I mentioned, a cultural, historical and political marker. At a little over 90 minutes the film was a bit too long, but the moving true stories and curiosity value made it well worth watching.

About Documentaries Guide Jennifer Merin gives The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls 4 stars. Read her full review here.