Wagner & Me
First Run Features | Release Date: December 7, 2012 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
56
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 10 Critic Reviews
Positive:
3
Mixed:
7
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
NPRStephanie ZacharekDec 7, 2012
Somehow, without soft-pedaling the nastier angles of Wagner's life and legacy, Wagner & Me lands on the side of joy and defiance - broadly speaking, Fry decides not to let the terrorists win. Read full review
75
New York PostFarran Smith NehmeDec 7, 2012
In addition to the magnificent music, the movie takes its rumpled charm from Fry's unfeigned fanboy manner. Read full review
63
Slant MagazineJoseph Jon LanthierDec 4, 2012
Even when Wagner & Me seems uneven as an art historical study, it's fairly successful as a travelogue. Read full review
60
The Hollywood ReporterFrank ScheckDec 7, 2012
Patrick McGrady's documentary strains to reconcile its conflicting moods, but Fry's gushing enthusiasm for the subject is ultimately if sometimes queasily infectious. Read full review
60
The New York TimesAndy WebsterDec 6, 2012
In the documentary Wagner & Me, the actor Stephen Fry, an ardent admirer of the music of Richard Wagner, wrestles with a longstanding problem for Wagner fans: how to reconcile that composer's musical genius with his racism. Read full review
60
VarietyRonnie ScheibDec 6, 2012
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. Read full review
60
Village VoiceAlan ScherstuhlDec 4, 2012
Most of the time, though, Fry is an unabashed appreciator. He paws at costumes, thrills to touch Wagner's own piano, and looks right at the camera to apologize for being so excited. It's the light, charming touch absent in Wagner - and proof that both of the famous men referred to in the title benefit from each other's association. Read full review
50
Boston GlobeTy BurrDec 13, 2012
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. Read full review
50
The A.V. ClubAlison WillmoreDec 5, 2012
Fry is Jewish, and his wrestling with what it means to venerate the music of someone who wrote of his revulsion for Jews adds a fascinating personal angle to this otherwise dry film. Read full review
40
Time OutAndrew SchenkerDec 4, 2012
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. Read full review
More From This Movie

56 Critic Reviews

tbd User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 81 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
2 77 Project Hail Mary
3 75 Send Help
4 73 Hoppers
5 72 The Sheep Detectives
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL