Paul McCartney Documentary ‘Man on the Run’ Is Comfort Food for Boomers

Significant works of art are not always created through noble purpose. Sometimes they are prompted by matters that are mundane or crass or petty… like, for instance, sticking it to the critics. In Morgan Neville’s new documentary, “Man on the Run,” Paul McCartney tells of how his 1973 album, “Band on the Run,” was a concerted attempt to show up those commentators who had dismissed his solo music as unworthy of a Beatle. Among the more prominent members of the peanut gallery was former bandmate John Lennon, whose song, “How Do You Sleep?” was a flagrant dig at Mr. McCartney. The critical consensus at the time wasn’t as extreme as Lennon’s screed, but that doesn’t mean “the cute Beatle” caught a break.What could anyone expect? Though Mr. Neville’s film is dedicated to Mr. McCartney’s post-Beatles life and output, it is inescapably grounded in a Beatles-inflected world. Reams of exposition have been published about the Fab Four and their impact on world culture, as well as their status as embodiments of a new age. George Harrison undercut the group’s influence in typical deadpan style by stating that the Beatles “saved the world from boredom.” But, then, the Beatles themselves had to follow up on that legacy as well.Did I say that “Band on the Run” was Mr. McCartney’s album? It is, rather, an album by his group, Wings. Though its membership fluctuated, Wings was composed, in the main, of Mr. McCartney, his wife Linda McCartney, and former guitarist for the Moody Blues, Denny Laine. Other musicians came and went, their membership in Wings being predicated on the prestige of working with a Beatle, and their subsequent departures resulting from being overshadowed by a Beatle.The first two Wings albums, “Wild Life” (1971) and “Red Rose Speedway” (1973), received critical drubbings that made the lukewarm responses to his solo recordings, “McCartney” (1970) and “Ram” (1971) seem glowing. Paul McCartney in ‘Man on the Run’ Linda McCartneyWith his credibility at stake and a chip on his shoulder, Mr. McCartney, along with Linda and Laine, packed their bags, headed to`an outpost of EMI studios at Lagos, Nigeria, and came up with a suite of songs that reminded listeners of just how significant he was as a songwriter, singer and cultural presence. Over half a century later, the scope, skill and wit of “Band on the Run” remains undiminished. It is an album that shimmers with exuberance and generosity of spirit — and the damned thing is catchy.Is it the best solo project by an ex-Beatle? The question isn’t mooted in “Man on the Run,” but there’s plenty in the film that should give music mavens much to chew on. Utilizing archival footage, contemporary interviews and animated segments reminiscent of Terry Gilliam’s contributions to “Monty Python’s Flying Circus,” Mr. Neville has made a valentine that isn’t without thorns — especially when Mr. McCartney, heard in voiceover, registers his annoyance at the sensationalism of the popular press and the begrudgery of friends and colleagues.Among the more sober commentaries in the film comes from the son of Mr. McCartney’s former song-writing partner, Sean Ono Lennon. Setting the record straight on an infamous, on-the-run Q&A conducted with Mr. McCartney shortly after the killing of his father in 1980, Mr. Lennon points to a man whose clear state of shock was derided as flippancy. He also has kind words to say about “Ram,” an unruly but engaging LP, that he posits as the first DIY album. Mr. Neville’s picture is slicker than the “Ram” album. If you’re a boomer in the mood for the cinematic equivalent of comfort food, “Man on the Run” will prove filling.

Paul McCartney Documentary ‘Man on the Run’ Is Comfort Food for Boomers

Paul McCartney Documentary ‘Man on the Run’ Is Comfort Food for Boomers

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