Continuing my dive into documentaries, I’ve gone from one set of brothers to another, but this time I’ve found twins. Matt and Luke Goss were born 29th September 1968 in Lewisham, London, and formed the band Gloss with Craig Logan during their school days in 1986. Once they had turned 18, The Pet Shop Boys’ music manager Tom Watkins snapped them up, moulding them into Bros (pronounced Bross) – the next big UK boy band. Only a year later, Bros had succeeded in doing just that, hitting the charts with ‘I Owe You Nothing’ in August 1987 before almost topping them with ‘When Will I Be Famous’ 3 months later. Yet it was only in 1992, after selling 16 million records and completing a couple sold-out tours, the brothers not-so-amicably split up to find their own paths in life. Matt moved to Las Vegas as a soloist, earning a residency at Caesars Palace among others, whilst Luke transitioned into acting in Los Angeles, starring in several action films with 4/10 ratings on IMDb. After several rumours in the noughties, Bros would decide to reunite for a 30th anniversary concert, with the behind-the-scenes footage compiled into a feature film.
Bros: After The Screaming Stops (a reference to an interview they had with Terry Wogan) is a 2018 movie detailing the story of the Goss twins trying to put their differences aside in order to perform at the O2 arena. Returning back to the UK and meeting up after years of a fractured relationship, they revisit their old stomping grounds and recount the years prior to asking when they would be famous. Yet these trips down memory lane lead to the openings of old wounds and, with only three weeks of preparation time for the gig, will they be able to get on the same page?
It’s this dynamic and their characters that separates the Bros film from any other biographical pieces. There’s so much bickering and pettiness that it can feel like they’re playing stereotypes of themselves as if portrayed in EastEnders. With Matt Goss, you have someone who’s constant desire to speak in seemingly improvised metaphors providing free advertisement with each highlight reel posted on social media. An impassioned plea against the biggest problem facing England, not being able to play conkers, and consciously deciding not to be superstitious because of Stevie Wonder are just some of the amazing quotes that would make satirists incredibly envious. This somehow leaves Luke Goss to play the straight man which, although slightly more grounded, is a role he doesn’t want or do well in.
Whilst I’m sure there’s plenty of studies analysing this type of behaviour in twins, their rise to fame was a significant factor covered well in the movie. Stories of invasive paparazzi for voracious news and press media industry coupled with selfish, predatory agents taking advantage of the young upstarts shows just how damaging fame and fortune can be. There are several tough emotive scenes which strip away some of the facade and displays the humanity of once massive popstars. Structured well to balance the laughs and the tears, the film also maintained my engagement with the continued goal of playing the O2. Whilst so many documentaries are retrospective, seeing the Goss Brothers’ relationship play out alongside discussing their past creates for a hilarious and entertaining piece well worth a watch despite the screaming stopping 30 years ago.