The trailer for McKellen: Playing The Part
McKellen: Playing The Part, a new documentary focused on the life of beloved actor Sir Ian McKellen, covers dense topics like acting, activism, and aging. And the nearly 80-year-old McKellen seems to have thoughtful perspectives on all of it, drawing upon his dedication to live theater, his groundbreaking advocacy work for LGBTQA rights in the UK, and his now generation-spanning appeal.
With so much to work with, the film manages to stay interesting even when it’s not perfect. Things go chronologically, and McKellen’s pre-university days feel slow compared to his later life. Director Joe Stephenson also made the unorthodox decision to rely solely on an extended McKellen interview, which delivers great insight but occasionally leaves audiences wanting a broader perspective on important moments (like the actor’s high-profile opposition to a 1988 anti-LGBTQA UK policy proposal called Section 28 or his embrace of big US blockbuster film franchises).
Still, for fans of those blockbuster roles in particular, the final third alone likely justifies a trip to the theater (or an eventual VOD rental). That’s when McKellen finally offers direct insight on X-Men’s Magneto and Lord of the Rings’ Gandalf. And by this point in the documentary, it’s clear each role felt like a logical extension of specific experiences in the actor’s life.
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