The film "Bono: Stories of Surrender" (2025) opens with Bono performing the energetic U2 song "Vertigo" on stage at the Beacon Theatre in New York City, setting a powerful tone. As the music fades, Bono shifts to a more intimate mode, reflecting aloud on a near-death experience in 2016 when a blister was found on his aortic valve. He asks himself, "How did I get here?"—a question that launches the audience into a deeply personal journey through his life.

The scene transitions to Bono seated on stage, surrounded by a simple set: a table and five chairs. These chairs become symbolic props throughout the performance, representing different people and moments in his life. One chair opposite him remains empty, a space where Bono reenacts and revisits conversations with his father, Bob. This setup allows the audience to witness Bono’s complex and tempestuous relationship with his dad, a man who loved opera and once mimed conducting "La Traviata" but saw little artistry in his son. Bono recalls how this lack of recognition fueled his desire to sing louder, to be heard.

Bono then takes the audience back to his childhood in Dublin, marked by the early loss of his mother, Iris. He describes the profound hole her death left in his heart and the emotional challenges that followed. The narrative unfolds with Bono sharing memories of his youth, the formation of U2, and the serendipitous week when he met his bandmates and his future wife, Ali. This week is portrayed as a pivotal moment of contingency and openness to experience that radically changed his world.

Throughout the film, Bono’s storytelling is interspersed with performances of U2’s iconic songs such as “Pride,” “Desire,” “With or Without You,” and “Sunday Bloody Sunday.” These songs are delivered with a tenderness and new vocal and instrumental arrangements that deepen their emotional impact. The music serves as both a backdrop and a narrative device, linking Bono’s personal reflections to his public life as a musician and activist.

A central emotional thread is Bono’s relationship with his wife Ali, which he describes as a remarkably enduring partnership and the pillar of his life and career. Their bond is portrayed with warmth and vulnerability, highlighting themes of love, grief, and humility. Bono’s activism for human rights and global health also features prominently, illustrating how his personal experiences have shaped his public commitments.

Visually, the film is shot in striking black and white, enhancing the dramatic and intimate atmosphere of the one-man show. The cinematography captures Bono’s expressions and movements with a rawness that draws viewers into his world. The film’s style emphasizes the theme of surrender—how Bono has come to accept the uncontrollable aspects of life, fame, and aging with humility and openness.

The narrative arc concludes with Bono reflecting on the meaning of surrender in his life, tying together his childhood losses, his relationships, his music, and his activism. The final scenes leave the audience with a sense of quiet contemplation, as Bono’s story reveals the fragility and resilience of a life lived at the edges of fame and faith.

Overall, the film unfolds as a visceral, scene-by-scene journey through Bono’s life, blending music, storytelling, and theatrical performance to create an intimate portrait of the man behind the legend.

Bono explores his relationships with family, especially his father, friends, and his wife Alison Stewart, highlighting moments like his father's subtle pride and his long marriage of over fifty years.

The film covers Bono's activism and fights against injustice, showing his awareness of his own privilege while engaging in pro-Africa and anti-poverty stances, and his reflections on the motivations and results of his social efforts.

Music is central, with Bono sharing life stories alongside U2 songs in an intimate show format, including performances that break the fourth wall and blend presentation with openness, emphasizing the connection between his songs and personal experiences.

The film reveals Bono's self-righteousness and pretentiousness at times, showing his ego and boldness, but also includes moments of humility and humor, such as anecdotes about his father and his own youthful unreasonableness.

The film uses theatrical devices like breaking the fourth wall, staged conversations with his father, and reminders of the performance's constructed nature, blending storytelling with live concert elements to humanize and deepen the narrative.

The movie Bono: Stories of Surrender (2025) is a documentary-style film focused on Bono’s personal and artistic journey, featuring intimate storytelling, spoken word, and stripped-down performances. It is generally suitable for a broad audience, including fans of Bono and U2, but it is not specifically designed as a family or children’s film.

Regarding potentially objectionable or upsetting content for children or sensitive viewers, the available reviews and descriptions do not mention explicit violence, strong language, or graphic scenes. However, the film includes raw emotional confessions and reflections on personal struggles, which might be intense or emotionally heavy for younger children or very sensitive individuals. The tone is contemplative and sometimes self-involved, with moments that lay bare personal vulnerabilities, but it does not appear to contain content that is overtly disturbing or inappropriate in a traditional sense.

In summary: - The film is not a typical family-friendly movie aimed at children. - It contains emotional depth and candid personal reflections that could be upsetting or challenging for sensitive viewers or young children. - There are no reports of explicit or graphic content that would be objectionable in a conventional way.

Parents or guardians should consider the emotional maturity of children before viewing, as the film’s intensity lies in its introspective and artistic nature rather than in explicit content.