"The Sparks Brothers" lovingly embodies overlooked pop band's eccentric essence and mystique
The Sparks Brothers (2021) Duran Duran. Depeche Mode. Pet Shop Boys. New Order. You know all of them, but have you ever heard of Sparks, "your favorite band's favorite band"? No? Join the club, but you will actually want to join the Sparks fan club after seeing the documentary “The Sparks Brothers,” an affectionate, informative, and sneakily poignant celebration of the overlooked electronic pop music duo from filmmaker Edgar Wright (2017’s “Baby Driver” ). Without snubbing the uninitiated (like a music snob does when a band they’ve adored for decades suddenly goes mainstream), Wright invites everyone to finally meet these J.D. Salinger-level enigmas, curiosities, and singular genuine artists who have earned their cult following in “the ecosystem of music.” Welcoming new fans with a loving introduction, “The Sparks Brothers” is like a delightfully persuasive breakthrough for this secret-handshake band. Made up of brothers Ron and Russell Mael, Sparks was not widely known b...