Wagner & Me

Time Out by

While the documentary offers some insights into the pervertion of art for ideological purposes, too much of it simply finds Fry standing in dumbfounded awe of the holy sites that populate his journey.

New York Post by Farran Smith Nehme

In addition to the magnificent music, the movie takes its rumpled charm from Fry's unfeigned fanboy manner.

The Hollywood Reporter by Frank Scheck

Patrick McGrady's documentary strains to reconcile its conflicting moods, but Fry's gushing enthusiasm for the subject is ultimately if sometimes queasily infectious.

Slant Magazine by Joseph Jon Lanthier

Even when Wagner & Me seems uneven as an art historical study, it's fairly successful as a travelogue.

Variety by Ronnie Scheib

For Fry, the music's complexity, ambiguity, innovation and humanity far surpass Wagner's personal limitations. He may not convince his viewers of the rightness of his conclusions, but he certainly makes a fervent case for the triumph of art over biography.

Boston Globe by Ty Burr

To truly appreciate Wagner & Me, a BBC documentary getting a spotty theatrical release in this country, you have to cherish the music of Richard Wagner with the same quivering intensity as host Stephen Fry.