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.
