Bono: Stories of Surrender

When the film premiered in Cannes, unkind critics saw it as self-celebratory. With Bono, that’s like complaining that the rain is wet. The flipside are the points when something raw is laid bare...

A compelling portrait of the artist, in his own words.

Shooting in crisp monochrome, director Andrew Dominik has higher aspirations than the unadorned documentation of a stage play.

If Bono is melodramatic, Mr. Dominik is an enabler.

Bono may be his own worst enemy in the one-man show Stories of Surrender, but only just. His second worst is Blonde director Andrew Dominik, who has turned it into a more excruciating film than you might even have surmised.

This good-natured hagiography isn’t anywhere near free of pomposity, but even Bono seems to know when it’s best just to keep quiet and move on.

Andrew Dominik’s direction makes Surrender a revealing journey.

Haters will burn with renewed fire, but if you’ve ever had a soft spot for U2, it may just make you fall in love with them all over again.

Honest, affecting, tender, and inspirational, this documentary is a wholly unique piece of work.

Very few people can make talking about themselves for ninety minutes straight interesting and with all due respect, Bono is not one of them.