William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill
Legion M | Release Date: March 22, 2024 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
68
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Critic Reviews
Positive:
8
Mixed:
5
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
San Francisco ChronicleG. Allen JohnsonMar 22, 2024
If you thought you didn’t like William Shatner, see this movie to have your mind changed. And if you already like him, get ready to love the guy. Read full review
91
Original-CinJohn KirkMar 19, 2024
If you’re a fan of the man, William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill is an easy sell. Read full review
83
IndieWireChristian BlauveltMar 17, 2023
There’s a candor and a rawness here that’s inherently compelling. Read full review
83
ColliderEmily BernardMar 17, 2023
While fans might wish for a more traditional “follow me around” documentary that dives deep into all things Captain Kirk, this softer, more contemplative side is just as profound as the legacy he will leave behind. Read full review
80
Wall Street JournalKyle SmithMar 22, 2024
Who doesn’t love Bill Shatner? The theatrical documentary “William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill” reminds us why, stylistically channeling what became the actor’s signature: a dedication to sustained gravitas so portentous that it becomes absurd, then keeps going until it emerges, triumphantly, into the realm of the genuinely spellbinding. Read full review
75
RogerEbert.comClint WorthingtonMar 22, 2024
At the ripe age of ninety, Shatner remains as alive as ever—his eyes wild with curiosity and humor, his honeyed voice barely worn down by years of voiceover and soliloquy. But he remains deeply aware of his own numbered days, which makes “You Can Call Me Bill” feel like something of a self-administered cinematic eulogy. Read full review
70
Screen RantMary KasselMar 25, 2024
Few stones are left unturned in the callbacks to different parts of his career, and those unfamiliar with Shatner's lower-profile roles will get a kick out of seeing him outside his most iconic roles. Read full review
70
VarietyOwen GleibermanMar 17, 2023
The documentary captures how Shatner, as he began to make a career out of performing his public legend, merged his very identity with that of the hambone thespian inside him. Read full review
60
EmpireTom EllenMay 30, 2024
Eschewing the linear approach, this erratic documentary occasionally drifts a little too close to self-indulgence. But it’s also a frank, funny and disarmingly deep portrait of a true screen legend. Read full review
60
The GuardianCath ClarkeMay 22, 2024
It’s perhaps less fun than you might have hoped for, though Shatner is undoubtedly charismatic, and a pretty decent raconteur. He’s often entertaining, if not always necessarily in the way he intended. Read full review
60
The New York TimesBen KenigsbergMar 21, 2024
"You Can Call Me Bill" is fundamentally a case of an actor presenting himself as he wants to be seen. Read full review
50
CNNBrian LowryMar 22, 2024
For an actor known for having led his crew as it boldly explored humankind’s final frontier, “You Can Call Me Bill,” somewhat disappointingly, takes its extensive access to Shatner and doesn’t go much of anywhere. Read full review
50
The PlaylistChristian GallichioMar 17, 2023
You Can Call Me Bill isn’t a travesty; hearing Shatner discuss his life is always fascinating. But instead, the film’s a missed opportunity to unpack one of the more enigmatic figures in our public consciousness. Read full review
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