Review of The Sparks Brothers (2021) by Tvjerry — 22 Jun 2021

Brothers/bandmates Ron and Russell Mael have been recording and playing around the world since 1967, but many people (myself included) have never heard of them. This doc features the duo in a “formal” studio interview, as well as numerous musicians who’ve been involved with or influenced by them.

There’s also a lot of stills and footage detailing most of their output. Surprisingly, they’ve been prolific and popular all this time and this is an entertaining way to discover them. The only complaint (even the 2:15 running time didn’t get tiresome) is that there’s almost no insight into their personal life.

It’s a quirky movie that echoes Sparks’s eccentric style by showcasing their fascinating and innovative creative output.