Development

On 26 June 2017, Fulwell 73 Productions announced that a feature documentary following the pop band Bros was in production.^[8] It was produced by Leo Pearlman, with Heather Greenwood as co-producer and Gina Powell as creative producer. The film was financed by Julian Bird at Lorton Entertainment.^[8] It took around six months from inception to complete the documentary, including discussions, filming and 10 weeks of editing.^[15]

Filming

After the Screaming Stops was shot for around twelve weeks in 2017, from May to mid-August, with the first scene recorded at Matt's home in Las Vegas. During the interview process, an individual interview took over five hours.^[16][17] The production staff used various past recordings of Bros on the documentary, with interviews and concert footage briefly featured.

Music

Composers David Rowntree and Ian Arber along with Michelle De Vries as music supervisor were in charge of the film's music and score. De Vries had previously collaborated with both directors Pearlman and Soutar. The soundtrack itself has only a few Bros tracks on the film, instead focusing more on the band's relationship.^[18] Some examples of pre-recorded tracks used in the film are "The Wanderer" by Dion, "Funky Broadway Parts 1 & 2" by Dyke and the Blazers, "Move" by Jess & James and "Brother" by Kodaline, due to the twins having been influenced by funk and soul when growing up.^[18] These tracks are heard in the film but not included in the commercial release. For the score Korg and Fairlight synthesizer sounds were also used for a slight 80s atmosphere.^[18]

In addition to the musical score, the soundtrack contains previously unreleased recordings by Bros, including a track from their live O2 Arena performance in August 2017.^[19] After the Screaming Stops: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released worldwide by Lakeshore Records on 25 January 2019,^[20] on digital download and announced by Lakeshore Records on various social media.^{[21][22][4][20]} It is the first soundtrack to include Bros (the subject of the film). The score was mixed by Richard Addis at Halo Post Production and highlights both Luke and Matt's story.^[18] The soundtrack album debuted at #28 on the Official UK Soundtrack Chart on week ending 7 February 2019.^[23]

Soundtrack

The original score for the film and Bros tracks:^[24][25]

Marketing

HMV in Oxford Street where Bros attended a signing for the film.^[30]

The official social media accounts including Twitter and Instagram promoted the documentary posting pictures and exclusive videos. On 5 September 2018 the official trailer was released on the film's YouTube account.^[31][4] On 14 October 2018, Bros were at HMV’s flagship store in Oxford Street, London, signing copies of the DVD sleeves prior to the film's release.^[30]

The film received a 15 certificate rating from the British Board of Film Classification.^[32]

Home media

After the Screaming Stops was released in the UK on digital download, DVD and Blu-ray on 12 November 2018 by Spirit Entertainment.^[33] The DVD and Blu-ray disc extra features include dinner with Bros, Luke choosing kit, Matt choosing guitar, an interview with ex-Bros bassist Craig Logan and trailer.^[34] The film debuted at #1 on the UK Official Music Video Chart on 18 November 2018, replacing Whitney by Whitney Houston, based on sales of DVDs and other physical formats.^[35]

In the United States it was released on DVD, Blu-ray, digital download and Video on demand (VOD) channels on 28 May 2019 by Gravitas Ventures. The Blu-ray/DVD omits the extra features available on the UK release.^[36][37][38]

Broadcast

In the United Kingdom, After the Screaming Stops was first broadcast on British television channel BBC Four and BBC Four HD simulcast at 10:00pm on 23 December 2018, around six weeks after the documentary's limited cinema release.^[39] The documentary was initially watched by more than 250,000 viewers, but later becomes one of the 2018 Christmas television highlights due to its popularity on BBC iPlayer.^[40] Due to the interest, it was aired again in January 2019 on BBC Two.^[41]

Box office

As of 29 November 2018, Bros: After The Screaming Stops with a limited theatrical release, grossed £13,248 in the United Kingdom from 24 screens in its opening weekend, for a total gross of £13,248.^[42]

Critical response

The BBC critic Mark Kermode and The Sunday Times critic Edward Porter both likened Bros to the 1984 parody film This is Spinal Tap. Porter said some of the brothers' remarks were "unintentionally hilarious", but found them "ultimately lovable", and that the film "makes you poignantly aware of how testing their lives have been".^[43] He gave it four out of five.^[43] Kermode said the film was "really charming".^[44] Allan Hunter, writing for Screen International, said, "This documentary offers an access-all-areas pass during the countdown to the Bros reunion concert of 2017, but it can’t help but focus on the toxic relationship between siblings who sometimes make Cain and Abel seem like the best of chums. Initial interest may rest with nostalgic fans but there is a bigger story here with a wider emotional reach."^[45]

Time Out gave the film three out of five, saying it "captures these tensions with a candour rare in a pop doc." It added, "The filmmakers try to make the drama of dredging up their demons worth it for the thrill of performing again. After sitting through 90 minutes of them rowing, though, you have to wonder whether Matt and Luke’s candour and participation were really worth it.".^[46] The Guardian critic Peter Bradshaw described it as a "bizarre and perhaps unintentionally gripping promo-doc about the stressful reunion of 80s boyband Bros", giving it a rating of three out of five.^[47] For iNews, Adam Sherwin wrote "You don’t have to like Bros much to consider After the Screaming Stops, an unflinching document of the duo’s attempt to rebuild a relationship fractured after 30 years, one of the greatest music films of all time," giving it five out of five.^[48]

Awards and nominations

Charts