The Sparks Brothers

This was superbly made, very funny, and surprisingly uplifting.

I've watched a lot of music documentaries that have interesting content but pretty boring presentation, and so to have one come along that's this entertaining and this well edited was a real treat.

Sparks have had an incredibly interesting history to the point where you could use stock standard documentary techniques and still make something watchable, but Wright's passion for this duo really shines through and makes for a documentary that will make any viewer see the weird, funny and captivating appeal of Sparks.

It makes me feel like I've got a lot of catching up to do, as I'd only listened to four Sparks albums before watching this, and there are at least several more covered here that I feel I should check out.

Only complaint I'd have is that it gets a little long winded near the end, with an epilogue that stretches on forever, with so many points where you think it's about to finish but doesn't. It's like the Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King ending but for documentaries.

Maybe Wright just didn't want to finish making this movie about a band he clearly loves, so for that I can't blame him too much.

'The Sparks Brothers (2021)' is a behemoth of a documentary that charts the entire, six-decades-spanning career of 'Sparks', an intermittently successful and always experimental band who've reinvented themselves more times than you could possibly imagine. Prior to hearing of this film, I'd never heard of the Mael brothers or their band; the only reason I (and I highly doubt I'm the only one) elected to watch the piece is because of its director, Edgar Wright. This directly relates to both the strength and weakness of the piece: its adamant desire to explore every single 'Sparks' album ever released. With a runtime just shy of two-and-a-half hours and a structure that basically repeats itself twenty-five times, it certainly isn't the most audience friendly of affairs. This would imply that its target audience is almost exclusively people already familiar with and fond of the band's work, but this actually isn't the case - at least, not as obviously as it may seem. See, the documentary doesn't really go into any depth when it comes to its eponymous brothers, their musical process or how they perceive the events the movie depicts. Instead, it essentially focuses on the reception of their music, conveyed primarily via an impressively eclectic array of talking heads who wax lyrical about the under-appreciated brilliance of 'Sparks'. Therefore, fans of the band will likely already be familiar with most of the stuff that the movie covers. At the same time, newbies like myself are likely to feel slightly overwhelmed at the amount of surface-level information that the flick throws at its viewers. After a certain point, it all starts to blend into itself and wash over you to an extent. Despite this issue, the movie is still quite a bit of fun. Sure, it starts to run out of steam at points, but it often shakes things up just enough to feel fresh - much like the Mael brothers themselves. Though its presentation is mostly rather standard (albeit impressive), it does have a cheeky sensibility to it and imbues many of its more expected elements with some subtle yet successful humour. The enthusiasm of everyone on screen is also evident and infectious. Sadly, I can't say that I recall more than a couple of 'Sparks' songs now and they play for pretty much the entire affair. This is likely a testament to the eclectic nature of their discography, which is consistently inconsistent in terms of style and tone. Still, the music is enjoyable, despite not being all that memorable. Ultimately, this documentary is slightly too long and almost too comprehensive for its own good, yet it has quite a bit of charm to it and remains entertaining pretty much for its entire duration. It's a solid effort. 7/10.

Ron and Russell Mael are Californian brothers who created the longtime eccentric band, Sparks. They have made 25 albums with differing loyal fans over the years. I have no idea who these guys are. This may as well be a mockumentary. With all the old footage, it's obvious that they are real. I just wish for one trans Atlantic hit that I can grab onto. They seem to be bigger in Britain. That probably explains it. It's part of the pop culture that I missed back in the day. They also seem to be big in L. A. and Germany for awhile. This is nostalgic by association. I didn't actually listen to them, but they influence so many others that means so much to me. Part of the issue may be their satirical sensibilities and that they're always changing their sound. It does allow for an interesting retrospective in that these guys are so unusual.

I'm not too familiar with the pop-rock duo band Sparks, but I'm a fan of Edgar Wright and this documentary has received strong reviews. As a result, I jumped at the chance to see a virtual advance screening of this exuberantly quirky, playfully irreverent, and ambitious documentary that serves as a comprehensive profile of Sparks, whose career has spanned five decades. The film runs at a lengthy 2 hours and 20 minutes, but Wright's deep affinity for the band is apparent in every single minute of the film. As a result, the film never feels too long-even for those who are not committed fans-but rather a well-researched, thoughtfully idiosyncratic ride that viewers are invited to hop along on. What's fascinating here is that even viewers with no understanding of Sparks can not only be sucked in after watching the first 20 minutes or so of the film, but will also remain fascinated throughout as the analysis of the band gets deeper and deeper. Wright also makes it abundantly clear how inspirational Sparks has been for many other (even more) prominent musicians in the rock and pop genres.

The film discusses the two members of Sparks, Ron and Russell Mael. Opening with a discussion of their early history and influences (which included sports and genre films,) context about how this duo has gained such a significant cult following and cultural prominence is clearly absorbed by the viewer. Edgar Wright films, particularly "Hot Fuzz" and "Baby Driver," are usually very well-edited due to Wright's stylistic editing style. While the editing process is much different in a documentary than a narrative film, Wright still edits the film to perfection. The juxtaposition between music videos, concert footage, interviews, and other relevant context pertaining to Sparks is fast yet incredibly impactful on the viewer throughout. This editing clearly contributes to the ebb and flow of the film, which Wright should be commended for. The unique combination of interviewees represented in the film (ranging from the Maels themselves to die-hard fans and many others) come together to make the film's craft feel even more holistic. My only main criticism of the film is that the second act is not as well-structured or interesting as the first act (which is more contextual) or the third act (which is more specifically/directly focused on Sparks' music.) Other than that key structural flaw, I found this documentary to be a uniquely informative viewing experience. 7.5/10.

Edgar Wright always does great work, and when it was announced that he would be at the helm of a Sparks documentary, I was ecstatic.

I was of course excited to see the movie, but more than that I was excited that a big name director would be exposing the world and some of my fellow Americans (hopefully) to Sparks.

The band is not easy to find, and it is absolutely criminal. I myself only discovered the band 2 or so years ago and fell in love immediately, listening to the then 24 studio albums over a course of about a month for hours a day. I implore you to do the same, I really don't think you'll regret it.

The documentary really was true to Sparks sensibilities too, as Edgar promised he would try to do. The artists were not the center of attention, but rather the art was the center of attention. The dedication to their craft, along with an immense amount of wit and talent is what has sustained them as a band for 50 years.

The two are just so easily lovable guys, and immense talents with a one of a kind sound. As a fan, it made me happy to see the two in the limelight where they should be, taking a quick break to reflect after 50 years of innovating in the field. Here's to 200 more Sparks albums!