Greene and his crew record their subjects as they talk through their common experiences, revisit some of the places where the abuse happened and recreate some of the worst moments of their lives in short, dramatic scenes - all as a way of validating and perhaps overcoming their trauma.
In this emotionally draining but ultimately cathartic documentary, the accomplished nonfiction filmmaker Robert Greene tackles the difficult topic of childhood sexual abuse, with the help of a handful of men who use drama therapy to cope with their memories of being molested by Catholic priests. But with the help of vintage clips, animated interludes, and testimonials from Sparks’ many famous fans, the movie covers the band’s winding musical journey in full: their early experiments with theatrical rock ’n’ roll in the early ’70s their pioneering, synthesizer-driven ’80s hits and their more recent dabbling with orchestras and the avant-garde. “The Sparks Brothers” doesn’t reveal much about the Maels’ personal lives, outside of a few fascinating anecdotes about their childhood. The director Edgar Wright pays tribute to one of his favorite bands in this playful and thorough documentary about Ron and Russell Mael, the core of the cult-favorite art-pop act known as Sparks.
