Bono Brings A New Documentary of His Life With Apple TV
Bono is lending his voice, stories, and signature self-awareness to Apple’s latest venture into immersive storytelling. “Bono: Stories of Surrender,” a new documentary directed by Andrew Dominik, dropped on Apple TV+ on May 30. It combined a traditional 2D film and became the first full-length experience available on Apple Vision Pro.
“I was honored to be a lab rat in their unusual mix of art and science,” Bono says of his early exposure to the Vision Pro. Yet, “Stories of Surrender” isn’t some flashy gimmick. It’s the culmination of a deeply personal creative journey that began with his 2022 memoir “Surrender: 40 Songs,” “One Story.” This was followed by a stripped-down one-man stage show, “An Evening of Words,” “Music and Some Mischief.” Now, it has the cinematic final.
Hence, filmed at New York’s Beacon Theatre, the 86-minute documentary plays like a love letter to storytelling. With minimal props, a live trio led by longtime collaborator Jacknife Lee, and U2 staples, Bono retraces the beats of his life. The singer goes through his complicated relationship with his late father and his early days with U2. Also, the singer brushes with fame and politics, and the absurdity of being both rock royalty and a very human man.
Bono and Details on the Documentary
So, in classic Bono fashion, he mines the emotional territory with humor and heart. “I went out onstage, and something happened to me that had never happened to me before onstage with U2, at least not in more than 30-second intervals. “People started laughing!” he says. “And I started to [think], ‘Oh, is this funny? Wow, I like the sound of this.'” That blend of humor and gravity becomes the show’s secret weapon.
Thus, Bono isn’t just telling stories — he’s reliving them. In one recurring moment, he channels conversations with his father, Bob, flipping his head from side to side as he performs both roles. It’s poignant, even theatrical — a rock-and-roll opera of memory. “One of those stages was playing him onstage, with the turn of my head every night,” Bono says. “And realizing that my father was funny. And not just that I loved him, but I started to like him just by playing him.“
The Legendary Singer on Stage
Thus, the collaboration with Apple marks another chapter in U2‘s long history with the tech giant. “A lot of companies, when they get to that scale, they stop innovating,” Bono says. “And here they are again, ready to do it.”
Of course, Bono can’t help but keep it real, even in a revolutionary headset. “For the first time, I got to see myself onstage and realized, ‘What a big arse!'” he jokes. “That has gotta go! And by the way, are those nose hairs? I’m like, ‘Wow!'”
Still, beneath the self-deprecation and rock-star charm lies a tender core. Stories of Surrender isn’t just a concert film or a vanity project — it reflects art, aging, connection, and legacy. With Bono as both narrator and character, the lines blur between performance and confession. It’s vulnerable, theatrical, and oddly intimate — the experience only someone who’s lived a thousand lives could pull off.
So, in the end, Bono doesn’t just invite us to hear the music. He asks us to feel the story behind it. And with Stories of Surrender, we do.
