70
Metascore
10 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 88Slant MagazineChuck BowenSlant MagazineChuck BowenThe conclusion is a testament to the fact that authentic justice is probably only attainable by accident.
- 88Chicago TribuneMichael PhillipsChicago TribuneMichael PhillipsThe documentary carrying the same name as Schiele's painting works like a suspense drama and a slippery chronicle of ownership, theft and vaguely unsettling resolution.
- 78Austin ChronicleKimberley JonesAustin ChronicleKimberley JonesWith a saga this sprawling and byzantine, it makes sense that the emphasis is not on Schiele, but rather on what the sorely wronged Bondi never stopped calling "my Schiele."
- 70The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThe Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForePortrait of Wally may be too narrowly focused for some viewers, but offers an engaging narrative and high-profile subject that should attract audiences at fests and in specialized theatrical bookings.
- 70Village VoiceNick PinkertonVillage VoiceNick PinkertonShea's documentary is a well-arranged if rather drawn-out parade of talking heads telling Wally's story, including a trenchant and funny Morley Safer, never missing a chance to knock the art world.
- The film's single-minded treatment puts property issues over other nuances of the affair, not least the art itself and the artist. A brief postscript about the early deaths of Schiele and his pregnant wife feels uncomfortably like an afterthought.
- 60Time OutEric HynesTime OutEric HynesThough overly dependent on a roundelay of talking heads, the film escalates into an ace legal thriller, spinning a web of shame that snags everything from the Austrian government to America's most beloved not-for-profits.
- 50Boston GlobeMark FeeneyBoston GlobeMark FeeneyWhat's most vexing about Portrait of Wally is its lack of nuance.