Bono: Stories of Surrender

Who edited this?

Having seen the live performance of this show, I find the edit here disappointing and disjointed. It lacks the natural flow and energy of the original, making it hard to follow the actual story being told. Key moments, like the entire early days in London section, have been completely skipped, and the setlist feels jumbled and out of order. These choices seriously impact the coherence of the narrative.

That said, the music itself is still stellar, Bono and the Jacknife Lee Ensemble deliver powerful and dynamic performances that truly shine throughout.

Just a shame the story is actually lost.

Patience is required at first as it takes around 20 minutes to adjust to the content and then the story telling soars along with the music. A one man show told from the view of a retrospective on a rock stars life, son and band member, with touching insights on his relationship with his father. The arc of the story goes from school, band creation, growth of fame, riches, social campaigner and family tragedy. For those of us who have lived through the journey along with U2 it draws you in and inspires you at the same time. Strongly recommend you make time to watch uninterrupted. It's a beautiful story.

In Stories of Surrender, Bono achieves something truly extraordinary: he strips away the myth, the stadium, the noise - and stands alone with his story, his music, and his vulnerability. What unfolds isn't just a play or an intimate concert; it's an emotional surrender - honest, devastating, and deeply human.

As a viewer, you don't see the U2 frontman. You see the son who lost his mother, the friend who loves his bandmates with quiet devotion, the man searching for meaning in the chaos of a life lived out loud. The theatricality is there - because art demands it - but there's no empty spectacle. Every gesture, every reimagined note, serves a truth that aches and embraces.

What's most powerful is that, though ego is inevitable for any artist, Bono doesn't hide behind it. He channels it to open up, to move, to make you cry if you need to. And I needed to.

Stories of Surrender is not about understanding Bono. It's about understanding ourselves through him.

As "Bono: Stories of Surrender" (2025 release; 86 min.) opens, Bono is telling the audience about his heart problem around Christmas 2016, which leads him to bring a highly reworked "Vertigo". Bono then goes back in time, to what things were like growing up in Ireland between himself and his dad. At this point we are less than 10 minutes into the movie.

Couple of comments: this is directed by Australian director Andrew Dominik ("The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford). First there was the book "Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story", then the book tour, then the New York one man show "Stories of Surrender: An Evening of Words, Music and Some Mischief...". And now we get the film version of the one man shows, taped at the Beacon Theater in New York. Please note that I did not read the memoir, or catch the book tour, or see the one man show, so I watched this documentary as a stand-alone. It is important to understand that this is not a traditional Bono bio-pic. Instead it is Bono reflecting on his life and work. Check out the Pavarotti stories he shares with his dad (Bono playing both himself and his dad). This also is very much a Performance, not some off the cuff remarks. I quite enjoyed it for what it was, nothing more, nothing less. Bono is now in his mid-60's and brimming with energy. He will not be held back! The U2 songs that Bono performs (backed by some strings and drums) are all heavily reworked. But in the end this is quite enjoyable, and with a running time of not even an hour and a half, this flew by in no time. Please note that Brad Pitt is a co-producer.

"Bono - Stories of Surrender" premiered at the Cannes film festival a few weeks ago, and now is streaming on Apple TV. It is currently rated 71% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, which sounds about right to me. If you are a fan of Bono or of U2, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

I understand the 7min standing ovation at Cannes.

U2 fan, or not, to expose oneself to the demons and desires on stage, confess your need for parental acceptance and approval, and to realize, our parent(s) are not immune to this life's challenges in it's short tenure, takes a brave heart for the average person.

Bono exposes himself full throttle, through stories of his youth and the band, his marriage, becoming a father, and his struggles of losing his mother and seeking approval from his father- and how all that has driven his desire to make music.

Everyone shares his story in their own way, but he makes sharing that story ok.

I have never given 10/10 but it is right for here.

Listen to his story- embrace your own.