The Sparks Brothers

Play trailer

2:24

The Sparks Brothers

R

2021

2h 21m

Documentary

Music

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

95%

Tomatometer

164 Reviews

98%

Popcornmeter

100+ Verified Ratings

How can one rock band be successful, underrated, hugely influential, and criminally overlooked all at the same time? Edgar Wright's debut documentary THE SPARKS BROTHERS, which features commentary from celebrity fans Flea, Beck, Jack Antonoff, Jason Schwartzman, Neil Gaiman, and more, takes audiences on a musical odyssey through five weird and wonderful decades with brothers/bandmates Ron and Russell Mael celebrating the inspiring legacy of Sparks: your favorite band's favorite band.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Their albums may be cult favorites, but this Edgar Wright-directed documentary offers an introduction to Sparks that has something for everyone.

Read Critics Reviews

Mark Kermode

Observer (UK)

08/01/2021

5/5

From bucket-of-water tomfoolery to visually inventive biography and witty musicology, this really does have something for the girl with everything.

Go to Full Review

Max Weiss

Baltimore Magazine

07/30/2021

3.5/4

The Sparks Brothers film is smart, funny, infectiously weird, a little geeky, a little too long, a little niche, and consistently entertaining.

Go to Full Review

Ed Potton

The Times (UK)

07/30/2021

4/5

The film is too long and, although Wright hopes it will convert heathens, it's still probably one for the fans. The Maels, however, make enjoyably unpredictable hosts.

Go to Full Review

Geoffrey Macnab

iNews.co.uk

01/16/2025

4/5

This documentary will win over those unfamiliar with Sparks as well as providing plenty of pleasure for the band’s many fans.

Go to Full Review

Amy Smith

InSession Film

03/01/2024

C

With a few tweaks, there is a strong movie in here. I just wish that some of the writing didn’t feel as flat and that there was a strong demographic group for the film.

Go to Full Review

Serena Seghedoni

Loud and Clear Reviews

09/18/2023

4.5/5

In The Sparks Brothers, master storyteller Edgar Wright introduces us to Sparks, crafting a documentary that’s as captivating, cool and ironic as the pop-rock duo itself.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Catherine DeBlasio

07/24/2021

This film is so joyful, funny and inspiring that I feel like Ive been resurrected from the dead! I have immense gratitude to Ron and Russel Mael for all their hard work as well as to Edgar Wright for making this beautiful film. The fact that the Mael brothers have remained true to themselves and their artistic vision for 5 decades is in itself a truly brilliant victory. See this film. It will spark within you the desire to go forth and do great things.

See more

Russell W

07/04/2021

A great bio pic of a band Ive strangely never even heard of! Im definitely going to check their music out now!

See more

robert J

07/03/2021

Really good. A it too long

See more

Lisa

07/02/2021

Phenomenal. This is the best music documentary Ive ever seen. I think anyone would enjoy it whether a lifelong, brand new, or yet to be Sparks fan.

See more

lisa b

07/02/2021

Very entertaining and loved getting to know the Sparks Brothers!

See more

Catherine

07/01/2021

Sparks is one of the Greatest most Innovative bands EVER and to have their story woven together by the genius that is Edgar Wright is Seventh Heaven...

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Edgar Wright

Director

Ron Mael

Self

Russell Mael

Self

Edgar Wright

Self

Flea

Self

Beck

Self

Whitney

88%

76%

Whitney

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Whitney

Cypher

87%

57%

Cypher

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Cypher

David Crosby: Remember My Name

92%

87%

David Crosby: Remember My Name

Watchlist

TRAILER

for David Crosby: Remember My Name

Oasis: Supersonic

84%

86%

Oasis: Supersonic

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Oasis: Supersonic

Carlos

100%

95%

Carlos

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Carlos

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The Sparks Brothers: Trailer 1

2:24

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

How can one rock band be successful, underrated, hugely influential, and criminally overlooked all at the same time? Edgar Wright's debut documentary THE SPARKS BROTHERS, which features commentary from celebrity fans Flea, Beck, Jack Antonoff, Jason Schwartzman, Neil Gaiman, and more, takes audiences on a musical odyssey through five weird and wonderful decades with brothers/bandmates Ron and Russell Mael celebrating the inspiring legacy of Sparks: your favorite band's favorite band.

Director: Edgar Wright
Producer: Nira Park, Edgar Wright, George Hencken, Laura Richardson
Distributor: Focus Features
Production Co: Media Rights Capital, Complete Fiction
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Documentary, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 18, 2021, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 31, 2021
Box Office (Gross USA): $623.0K
Runtime: 2h 21m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)