James R | On 06, Jan 2019

In the 1980s, Bros were one of the biggest bands in the world… for 15 minutes. The result brought fame and fortune to the lives of Matt and Luke Goss, but also left the twins feuding and facing enormous pressure. 28 years later, the documentary Bros: After the Screaming Stops sees the pair reunite to play sell-out gigs at London’s The O2 – and the result has become the biggest TV hit of the Christmas season, after the movie was released on BBC iPlayer (following its broadcast on BBC Four), and everyone discovered the painful joy of the film for themselves.

Joe Pearlman and David Soutar’s documentary gets a remarkable first-hand look at the tensions, grudges, and dreams of two brothers who are more alike than they are different, and that access pays off time and time again over 90 minutes, from awkward arguments to candid confessions. It’s a strikingly frank portrait of life and creativity in the pressure cooker of fame. Best of all is the way that the film sincerely listens to the brothers’ honest ambitions without judgement, which gives the film a This Is Spinal Tap vibe that’s laugh-out-loud funny, emotionally raw and endearingly earnest – plus 100 per cent quotable.

A lot of those one-liners come from Matt Goss, and are more than worth watching the film for alone. We round up the best quotes from Bros: After the Screaming Stops for convincing others to see the film, and for spreading the joy of the Bros philosophy in your everyday life.

Rome

“Rome wasn’t built in a day… but we don’t have the time Rome had.”

Said by: Luke Goss
Use it when: When you need to deliver an inspiring speech.

Brothers

“My brother’s the left side of me and the right side of me. You know, sometimes, he’s one or the other.”

Said by: Matt Goss
Use it when: When talking about family.

Trains

“It’s one of those situations. If you fall asleep, then you’re definitely going to miss the train.”

Said by: Luke Goss
Use it when: When you fall asleep and miss the train.

Art

“This is one of the loves of my life. This is my best friend, Alfie, my bulldog. I had him painted, holding a pint of beer.”

Said by: Matt Goss
Use it when: You’re accidentally buy a painting of a bulldog holding a pint of beer on eBay and need to explain it to someone else.

HOME

“The letters ‘H. O. M. E.’ are so important, because they personify the word ‘home’.”

Said by: Matt Goss
Use it when: You need to spell the word home.

Teamwork

“Everyone has to be on the same page, otherwise you don’t get to turn the page. Because somebody gets left behind otherwise and then somebody has lost the page of the story, which may be the key to the ending.”

Said by: Matt Goss
Use it when: You and someone else aren’t on the same page.

Road Sweepers

“One of my songs is called We’re All Kings, which is about a man sweeping the road. He’s one of my kings, because I’m thankful I don’t have to sweep the road.”

Said by: Matt Goss
Use it when: When you start to realise what privilege is.

Being Shy

“Once bitten, twice shy. 20 times bitten, a little shy.”

Said by: Luke Goss
Use it when: When you keep getting bitten by things.

Your Own Personal Cave

“This is my cave area. I have crystals everywhere. Love a bit of chess, have a few glasses of scotch, have a long game of chess.”

Said by: Matt Goss
Use it when: When you’ve redecorated your living room. Or you really want a game of chess.

The News

“I’m obsessed with the news, you know. It ironically relaxes me – if I don’t see the news, I don’t feel informed, then I can’t go about my day properly.”

Said by: Matt Goss
Use it when: When you’re trying to convince someone to watch the news again, post-Trump and post-Brexit.

House Rules

“I have a rule in my house: you break it, you fix it… but you can break anything you want.”

Said by: Matt Goss
Use it when: When you’re setting the rules for a new housemate.

Kids’ Toys

“We had one toy that we loved more than anything and that was a dart. We didn’t have a dart board that went along with it. We had a dart.”

Said by: Matt Goss
Use it when: When you’re sharing childhood memories.

Conkers

“Please can we start a petition for this ridiculous thing where you can’t even play conkers; you have to wear goggles. That is the biggest problem: you can’t play conkers in England.”

Said by: Matt Goss
Use it when: When you’re rallying the campaign to bring back conkers.

Geometry

“I was a rectangle and he was a rectangle and we made a square that became a fortress.”

Said by: Matt Goss
Use it when: When you didn’t pay attention during maths class.

One-Way Streets

“If there was ever 15 one-way streets and one solitary two-way street where me and my brother got to meet in the middle, you helped find that one street. We’ve met in the middle. Two worlds definitely collided. When two worlds collide, two things happen: destruction, or the genesis of new beginnings. And you created water on a new planet, mate.”

Said by: Matt Goss
Use it when: When you’re stopped for going the wrong way down a one-way street and need to distract the traffic cops.

British Airways

“Thank you British Airways for making me feel so comfortable. Really and genuinely always make me feel like I’m at home.”

Said by: Matt Goss
Use it when: When you’ve had a good flight.

Superstition

“I made a conscious decision because of Stevie Wonder to not be superstitious.”

Said by: Matt Goss
Use it when: When explaining why you’re not superstitious.

 

Bros: After the Screaming Stops is available on BBC iPlayer until 11th January 2021. It is also available on BritBox, as part of a £5.99 monthly subscription.
 

 

Where can I buy or rent Bros: After the Screaming Stops online in the UK?

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