Paul McCartney: Man on the Run — The Final Verdict

48 Comments

1. Reminded me too much of Wingspan very similar in many ways, after the wings comp & book i thought this was going to be more wings orientated, being promoted as part of the Wings story you know (comp book & film). I'm a massive lifelong Paul fan but this did leave me a little underwhelmed i know this might have not been aimed a people like me but i thought wingspan wasn't either, let's hope if there is a 3/4 hour cut then that maybe one day bee seen that goes a little more into detail. But it's bloody Paul McCartney so i'll shut up and watch it again and again.

2. A bit rushed sums it up. Really a ‘précis’. Great for newbies but apart from the detail on the near drowning incident nothing particularly new. I guess some of us here are McCartney anoraks and would like much more detail/insight and four 1 hour episodes ie double the content would have been a real treat.

3. "He's been carrying that weight for a long time". … Congratulations!!! 😁

4. I enjoyed it. I only remember Paul calling the person that killed John, "the jerk of all jerks". I thought they might've included that. His plant the grew up illegal, always makes me laugh.

5. As a Macca fan I liked it, but definitely wanted more. I'm a Back to the Egg is severely underrated advocate so would have loved to hear some more about that but was glad it was not just glossed over. I felt there was no mention at all of Red Rose Speedway too, not sure if I just missed it? I am hoping there is a Blu Ray/DVD release with extra footage.

6. Not a bad doco but geez, Paul &/or Linda came across like they'd be an absolute pain in the ar$e to work for/with, given the turnover in the group in just one decade.

7. The names are getting out of hand…it’s just yellow

8. If there was that much detail and footage to use, why did they not make it in two two parts? Makes more sense to me. It would mean less is left out and also make it more complete. All the same I am really looking forward to watching this. Good to see that Linda is finally getting the acknowledgement she deserved. Many people thought she was only there because she was Paul's wife, totally forgetting that Paul has very high standards and if she was not capable enough he would never have let her anywhere near his music. Her keyboards and harmonies are an unheralded and essential part of Paul's early solo and Wings work.

9. I never liked Wings anyway. He should have simply called in Paul McCartney, and changed the line up as needed. This sounds like a film worth checking out. Also, Lennon should have done the same. Never mind “Plastic Ono Band,” just call it John Lennon.

10. Found it quite boring …. the foootage of Scotland was good to see –

11. Hi Andrew – hope you are well sir. I am a long term Beatles fan from the mid 60's. I watched the film a few nights ago and absolutely loved it. The title kind of tells you where it sits – right after the Beatles. I didnt want a deep dive TBH and I think the 2 hr mark was spot on. I think the film showed just how close Paul & Linda really were, and he wanted her to be in Wings – end of story. I never had any issue with that call. I mean who comes out of the biggest most popular band in the world, goes solo and then forms Wings to again be one of the biggest bands of that era. There can only ever be one Paul McCartney and I think this film simply shows who he really was as a person and what he went through. 10/10 for me. Cheers Doug

12. I enjoyed the wry humour of some of it. Paul took a lot of flak from the serious rock crowd for his music being family oriented, as evidenced by the Elton John and Nick Lowe comments, which were knowingly included. The film doesn't shy away from that but embraces it to explain why he chose the path he took. I think that early Wings music had a lot of heart in it,

13. When he said he forgot had some weed on him, I thought it would be a gram, not a huge brick of it. Kinda dumb and irresponsible to his bandmates and fans.

14. YES. The only review I was waiting for!

15. For hardcore fans nothing is ever going to be long or detailed enough. 😉

16. 2:12 “…and you get the sense that he’s been carrying that weight for a long time.”

    😝😆🤣Well done, Andrew!

17. a film about Wings? The film isnt called Band on the Run. the clue’s literally in the title.

18. I felt it wasted too much time on the breakup, Allen Klein, lawsuits, blah, blah, blah, when it could have spent that time on
    the albums, singles and band members especially Denny. We've already heard all the other stuff ad nauseum as recently
    as last fall via Anthology.

19. I've watched about an hour so far and am enjoying it, i'll watch the remainder at a later time. However I don't understand why Sean Ono Lennon has so much audio time since he was only 5 when John was shot. Although it was nice to hear him say he loves the RAM album, as do I. It's my favourite McCartney album, the one I always play the most. Paul was extremely lucky he had Linda as his companion and mate.

20. I was hesitant to watch this channels’s review (Man On The Run) since he gave such a grave and horrible review on “Give My Regards…” I found it strange and odd that he even admitted to not watching it for decades. I thought he was a man who thought for himself and not allow bad press and reviews to sway him to ignore the film for all those years (since he is such a big of The Beatles and solo works). I found that movie to be such a great delight, the performances were so good, great visually to watch different areas the UK, Paul did great, everyone did. I’ve seen way worse from 80’s cheese hits Hollywood was producing at the time. It was a fun great film. And what was so odd in the first few minutes of that movie? It was great!
    As far as this channel’s review of Man On The Run, he was on point and I agree with everything he said about this film, however, he pissed me off how (AGAIN) he had to throw shade at “Give My Regards…” at the end of the review. Give it a rest already.

    ~San Diego, California

21. I agree. Less than 2 hours feels severely edited. 3-4 hours, or even more, as most Beatle fans would be Two hand Clapping for.!!….Perhaps the edited movie release, and then an unedited version for hard core fans…I dunno, felt like they should have included more footage and info of the other albums….Wild Life and hardly anything of the Venus and Mars making?? But like you said they had to chop somewhere…You are right !, I got soooo much more watching a second time and looking forward to a third view…a very personal story indeed ,as I loved seeing a different perspective of what Linda had to endure and go through…what a trouper!! when obviously she never craved and wanted the limelight, without a doubt they really loved each other.

22. Bummer it’s only two hours. I would presume a general audience would prefer at least 2 1/2 to 3 hours minimum.

    Wonder if it will release on physical media?

23. LP porn!

24. The movie is a jumping hodge podge filmed in a montage, which I found very agrivating to watch on a continual basis.

25. I've yet to see it. But I've been a McCartney fan for about 58 years, my favorite period of Wings coming in 1979, BACK TO THE EGG is my absolute favorite.

26. I liked it. But there’s definitely nothing groundbreaking. No new information. Mary McCartney’s documentary, Wingspan definitely covered all of this. And probably a little bit better.

27. I definitely need to check this out and think it will be up my alley. I’m a Beatles completest but honestly don’t know much Wings beyond the singles the oldies stations played growing up.

28. Yes Andrew, I absolutely agree with your comment concerning fans like myself wanting more. Unfortunately, it was a rather big let down as much of the footage I have already seen and on more than one occasion. I feel like there could have been a lot more "new" footage/info but hopefully, there will be as time goes on. In it's defense, I plan on doing as you and will watch it again. Hopefully I will become more enlightened. One thing I did learn was about him almost drowning. Also, I was not aware of there being a Soundtrack so thank you for bringing this to my attention!

29. I did get the feeling that Paul wanted to get something off his chest—wanted people to know what he’d been through just after the breakup. And yes, how important Linda was in every sense.

30. The album is the most pointless Beatles related release since ‘Reel Music.’

31. i feel he shod have released the 3 hour edition for us hard core fans. he made Back to The Egg sound like it was a failure. it hit the top ten in US and it is great album. Paul is his own worst critic.

32. John admitting that Paul had been right all along about Allen Klein was worth the full price of admission.

33. Thank you for a great review. To me, being a long-time fan, Man on the Run was a bit rushed, but very well rounded. A 3-4 hour director’s cut of this film would be a treat.

34. I liked it. I'm a long time Beatles fan since '64.
    Before watching this new film , I watched Wingspan , and a few other McCartney videos.
    Man on the Run ends with happiness in Scotland.
    But Paul never stopped.
    He was busy recording w George Martin and others in the Air Studios on the island. Did his songs w Stevie & Michael , did his movie etc. So I agree this was good for decade 1 ( 1970s) but let's do a two hour show on each of the following decades.
    I also noticed been going through my DVDs , George ,John and Paul each have DVDs of their life after The Beatles , but not Ringo. It's time to give Ringo his due.
    It's time for " Starr Time " !!! Great video !!!
    Love this channel.

35. I’m a major fan and watched with a casual fan. It was very well made and I appreciate no talking heads. I would like to see the 4 hour cut. I expected it to be a disappointment and was relieved to be mistaken.

36. You tell the entire story or don't do it at all.

37. Wishing for the expanded edition!

38. Thanks, Andrew, your commentary is much appreciated

39. I think the book of the same name is more enjoyable. I was surprised. However he’s a bit too nice about his guitarist who I think he actually punched but doesn’t have that in the book.

40. I thought it was good. I was a little surprised it only covered his 70's output. But, I enjoyed it.

41. .. True. To those of us who already knew the story, the documentary seemed a little dry

42. I was born in 1968. My parents played The Beatles on four separate eight track tapes. The two best of iconic anthologies where they are on the same balcony a few years apart, "Sgt. Pepper" and "Abby Road". No Wings tapes but he was on the radio all the time with "Band On the Run", "Jet" and the two or three RAM tunes. This was pre 1975. Then that year I really really remember "Listen What the Man Says" and have a vivid memory of a pizza place we ate at that showed movies hearing the tune before we got there. Each time I hear the song that restaurant is vivid in my mind. A year later I recall "Silly Love Songs" a lot. Then nothing until "A Little Luck" in 1978. "Coming Up" was HUGE in 1980 but that was "McCartney II". That's it from a child's perspective.

43. Wingspan that he put out in 2001 is a more chronological order of Wings for people that don’t know about Wings.
    Man on the run is for people that know the Wings story

44. I thought Paul came off as winey and self serving…especially in regards to the breakup of the Beatles.

45. First things first, nice shirt. I love the rare black vinyl and the label designof the soundtrack. It is so McCartney to not mention getting an apartment, opening an office and recording the Ram album in New York City a year before John Lennon moved to the Dakota.The details of his life and career both known and newly realized is refreshing and shows the work and thoughtfulness involved. It was necessary to watch a couple of times to give a proper evaluation here too. Thanks for the review.

46. Having seen Wingspan on TV, 25 years ago, I wondered what the differences would be, since it's pretty much the same territory.

    Content-wise, I think Wingspan covers Venus and Mars more and Man on the Run has some quirkier info, like the little robot Paul brought on stage.

    Presentation-wise, Wingspan's got a looser, more intimate, family television feel, given It's centered on an interview conducted by Mary. Man on the Run chooses not to use ANY new video footage for their interviews, exclusively using audio from the new interview content. It allows for a more visceral and artsy cinematic style with cool collage-style stop-motion animation. Plus, while both are funny, Man on the Run is much funnier. Maybe that's the benefit of watching it with an audience.

47. The film was a delight.

48. Yeah…and with all due respect…man run home and stay…Overrated Symphony of Sesame street like songs.

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