After the Screaming Stops

After the Screaming Stops is an emotive, thought-provoking documentary film offering an intimate and raw insight into the turbulent journey of Luke and Matt Goss, former teenage heartthrobs and global pop sensations. Created in 2018, the film navigates a riveting narrative of their extraordinary success rise in the 1980s as Britain's biggest band, "Bros," their subsequent fall, and the complex dynamics of their brotherly relationship over the years.

The documentary, directed by Joe Pearlman and David Soutar, examines the duo's meteoric rise to fame as teenagers before detailing the trials and tribulations they experienced trying to maintain their musical career. Crystalized through an impressively open perspective, the film explores the tremendous pressures and often unrealistic expectations placed on them at such a young age, while also touching on the swift and merciless way public sentiment can change towards celebrities.

Both the Goss brothers are integral players in the creation of this documentary, their personalities on full display. Luke, the more restrained and introspective of the two, brings a measured consistency while Matt, the more flamboyant and outspoken, delivers the sizzle. Both are equally passionate about their music, their bond, their shared memories of stardom and hardship, contributing to an engaging, occasionally heated, and deeply candid narrative.

Set against the backdrop of their first major reunion concert almost 30 years after their split, After the Screaming Stops follows the brothers in the lead-up to this career-defining event. The film goes behind the scenes to offer viewers an in-depth look at the brothers' professional and personal lives, filled with confession-like interviews, archival footages, and dramatic rehearsals. It offers a captivating yet anxiety-ridden take on their attempts to navigate artistic differences, reconcile their fraught history, and manage the immensity of their comeback performance at London's iconic O2 Arena.

The bickering and emotional exchanges between the two brothers form a crux of the documentary, revealing their unfiltered thoughts, the scars of their past and their struggle to reconnect after years of estrangement. These raw moments, often riveting, occasionally uneasy, and at times unexpectedly humorous, provide a discerning look into the realities of familial relationships within the music industry and the vulnerabilities that they can bring to the surface.

What sets After the Screaming Stops apart from other documentary films on similar subjects, is its careful and meticulous consideration for the human aspects of fame. It does not just focus on the adrenaline-fueled highs and low, catastrophic falls that mark popular celebrity narratives, but instead delves deeper, unveiling a story about family, insecurity, identity, and resilience.

While Ron Perlman doesn't appear in After the Screaming Stops, his distinctly powerful voice lends narration to selected sections of the film, giving viewers an introspective lens through which to observe the brothers' journey.

After the Screaming Stops is more than just a traditional music documentary - it is a character study. It invites viewers to scrutinize, empathize, and share in the brothers' triumphs and failures, remaining impartial without losing sight of its affection for its subjects. The film doesn't shy away from exposing the raw and real cost of fame, lending it an intensely relatable and humanistic touch. Even those unfamiliar with Bros' music will appreciate this frank exploration of celebrity and the forces that both make and unmake it.

In essence, After the Screaming Stops is an unvarnished perspective on life after extreme fame, addressing the challenges that pop stars face when they're pressured to maintain an unforgiving public image while grappling with personal conflicts, career hurdles, and the complexities of sibling relationships. The Goss brothers' chemistry, charisma, and raw honesty channel the authentic spirit of the film, offering valuable insights for anyone interested in the implications of fame and the intricacies of familial relationships within the entertainment industry.