The actor may have played dozens of parts in his life, but here he's just playing himself.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 6, 2021

McKellen: Playing the Part is a fascinating collection of interviews, snapshots, home movies and film clips, all narrated by the chatty McKellen, who fills every moment with intelligence, humour and emotion.

Full Review | Oct 8, 2019

An essential watch for both fans of McKellen and those interested in an experienced actor's perspective as a whole.

Full Review | Feb 28, 2019

It's a must-see for any fan, and, be honest, is there anyone who's not an Ian McKellen fan?

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Oct 4, 2018

McKellen's rich turn of phrase and self-deprecating expertise with building the perfect anecdote makes him tremendous company throughout here.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Sep 26, 2018

A comprehensive and entertaining enough overview ... [but] Sir Ian deserves at least two hours ... it's a bit of everything in 92 minutes, and as such, it's completely entertaining, charming and lovely while also being annoyingly unsatisfying.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 26, 2018

The film, filled with photographs and clips from McKellen's films, is a revealing insight into an important contributor to theatre and cinema.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Sep 21, 2018

Endlessly fascinating and well crafted, McKellen: Playing The Part burrows deep into the mind of its subject, and the craft of acting itself.

Full Review | Original Score: 17/20 | Sep 21, 2018

McKellen: Playing the Part is a celebration of a life particularly well-lived. McKellen emerges as a clear-eyed, impish, utterly professional and pragmatic optimist.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | Sep 6, 2018

What a treat it is to have the Oscar-award winner telling his own story in his own words.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Sep 5, 2018

A captivating insight into the life and times of a much beloved stage and screen actor...

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 5, 2018

Essentially based around a single interview, Playing the Part allows McKellen's avuncular personality, warmth and wicked humour to shine.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 4, 2018

The doc also recalls a simpler age when people became famous because of their accomplishments, rather than striving for fame as a goal in itself.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jun 6, 2018

It's a powerful and vast anthology straight from the horse's mouth.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 1, 2018

Who wouldn't want to spend 90 minutes in the company of Sir Ian McKellen?

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | May 31, 2018

An absolute treat of an interview with a man who has told other people's stories wonderfully for decades and tells his own just as well.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | May 30, 2018

McKellen is a born storyteller - able to provide colour and context with a quirky detail, raised eyebrow, or roll of the tongue. He is also unpretentious, which is what makes this such a warm and endearing encounter.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | May 28, 2018

Yet even - perhaps especially - in morbid mood, [Ian McKellen] is never less than beguiling.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | May 25, 2018

The thrilling clips here of his big Shakespearean roles are worth the price of a ticket alone.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | May 25, 2018

Eben Bolter's almost expressionist lighting gives the red-chair interviews a theatrical warmth. The editing, like the acting, is impressively off-handed in the recreated scenes, which flip by like quickly turned pages in a book of memories.

Full Review | Nov 14, 2017