Wolfgang (film)

Last updated
Wolfgang
Wolfgang poster.jpeg
Official poster
Directed by David Gelb
Written by Brian McGinn
Produced by
  • David Gelb
  • Jason Sterman
  • Brian McGinn
Starring Wolfgang Puck
CinematographyWill Basanta
Edited by
  • Arielle Zakowski
  • Brad Grossman
Music byStenfert Charles
Production
company
  • Supper Club
Distributed by Disney+
Release dates
  • June 12, 2021 (2021-06-12)(Tribeca)
  • June 25, 2021 (2021-06-25)(United States)
Running time
78 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Wolfgang is a 2021 American documentary film, directed and produced by David Gelb. It follows the life and career of chef Wolfgang Puck.

Contents

It had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 12, 2021. It was released on June 25, 2021, by Disney+. The film is reported to removed from Disney+ on May 26, 2023. [2]

Synopsis

The movie follows the life and career of chef Wolfgang Puck.

Production

In October 2019, it was announced David Gelb would direct and produce a documentary revolving around the life of chef Wolfgang Puck, with Disney+ set to distribute. [3]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 12, 2021. [4] It was released on June 25, 2021. [5] [6]

Reception

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the documentary holds an approval rating of 86% based on 21 reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10. [7]

Jason Bailey of The New York Times found the film very interesting for depicting Wolfgang Puck's rise to fame and his impact on culinary arts, praised David Gelb's direction, claiming it gives an agreeable photography of the meals depicted across the documentary film, but declared that the movie focuses too much on Wolfgang's achievements and not enough on his personal life. [8] John Serba of Decider found that the documentary manages to provide a genuine portrait of Wolfgang's life across his achievements and his regrets, claiming it gives a human touch on the businessman. [9] Jennifer Green of Common Sense Media rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, complimented the educational value of the movie, stating it manages to depict some of the challenges encountered when being a chef and running a restaurant, and praised the positive messages and role models, claiming the film promotes self-assurance, integrity, and honesty. [10] Odie Henderson of RogerEbert.com rated the film 2,5 out of 4 stars and praised Will Basanta's cinematography, stating it manages to provide a satisfying aesthetic through his shots, while claiming the film successfully depicts Wolfgang as a famous chef and self-made man, but found that the documentary film focuses too much on business and not enough on Wolfgang's personal life. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeffrey Schwarz</span> American filmmaker

Jeffrey Schwarz is an American Emmy Award-winning film producer, director, and editor. He is known for an extensive body of documentary work including Boulevard! A Hollywood Story, The Fabulous Allan Carr, Tab Hunter Confidential, I Am Divine, Vito, Wrangler: Anatomy of an Icon and Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story.

<i>Bigger, Stronger, Faster*</i> 2008 film directed by Chris Bell

Bigger, Stronger, Faster* is a 2008 documentary film directed by Chris Bell about the use of anabolic steroids as performance-enhancing drugs in the United States and how this practice relates to the American Dream. The film had its world premiere on January 19, 2008 at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. The film was shown at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2008, and opened in limited release in the United States on May 30, 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ava DuVernay</span> American filmmaker (born 1972)

Ava Marie DuVernay is an American filmmaker and former film publicist. She is a recipient of a Primetime Emmy Award, a NAACP Image Award, a BAFTA Film Award and a BAFTA TV Award, as well as a nominee of an Academy Award and Golden Globe.

<i>Cropsey</i> (film) 2009 American film

Cropsey is a 2009 American documentary film written and directed by Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio. The film initially begins as an examination of "Cropsey", a boogeyman-like figure from New York City urban legend, before segueing into the story of Andre Rand, a convicted child kidnapper from Staten Island whose known or suspected crimes in the 1970s and '80s may have inspired or been blamed on Cropsey.

<i>Jiro Dreams of Sushi</i> 2011 film by David Gelb

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a 2011 Japanese-language American documentary film directed by David Gelb. The film follows Jiro Ono, an 85-year-old sushi master and owner of Sukiyabashi Jiro, previously a Michelin three-star restaurant. Sukiyabashi Jiro is a 10-seat, sushi-only restaurant located in a Tokyo subway station. As of 2014, Jiro Ono serves a tasting menu of roughly 20 courses, for a minimum of JP¥30,000 (US$270).

<i>Wagners Dream</i> 2012 American film

Wagner's Dream is a documentary film directed by Susan Froemke. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 25, 2012 and was shown in high definition in theaters across the United States and Canada on May 7, 2012. The subject of the film is the staging of a new production of Richard Wagner's four-opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Metropolitan Opera beginning in 2010.

<i>Don Jon</i> 2013 film by Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Don Jon is a 2013 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt in his feature directorial debut. The film stars Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, and Julianne Moore, with Rob Brown, Glenne Headly, Brie Larson, and Tony Danza in supporting roles. The film premiered under its original title Don Jon's Addiction at the Sundance Film Festival on January 18, 2013, and was released in the United States on September 27, 2013. The film grossed $41 million worldwide and received generally positive reviews from critics.

<i>To Be Takei</i> 2014 American film

To Be Takei is a 2014 American documentary film produced and directed by Jennifer M. Kroot. The film had its world premiere at 2014 Sundance Film Festival on January 18, 2014.

David Gelb is an American film director and co-founder of Supper Club, a production company.

<i>A Lego Brickumentary</i> 2014 film

A Lego Brickumentary is a 2014 Danish-American documentary film co-directed by Kief Davidson and Daniel Junge, focused on the Danish construction toy Lego. The film was released on July 31, 2014. The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised its appeal but criticized the promotional tone of the film. It grossed over $100,000 against a production budget of $1 million, although it fared better in home media sales.

<i>For the Love of Spock</i> 2016 film by Adam Nimoy

For the Love of Spock is a 2016 American documentary film about actor Leonard Nimoy produced by 455 Films and directed by his son Adam Nimoy, who started it before his father's death on February 27, 2015.

<i>Georgetown</i> (film) 2020 American film by Christoph Waltz

Georgetown is a 2019 American crime drama film directed by Christoph Waltz and written by David Auburn. It is based on Franklin Foer's 2012 New York Times Magazine article "The Worst Marriage in Georgetown", which details the 2011 murder of 91-year-old socialite Viola Herms Drath by her much-younger second husband in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Waltz stars alongside Vanessa Redgrave, Annette Bening and Corey Hawkins.

Rachel Lears is an American independent documentary filmmaker. She is the director of Knock Down the House, a documentary film about four women running for Congress in the 2018 midterms, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival in January 2019 and was sold to Netflix for $10 million. It was released on May 1, 2019.

<i>Lenny Cooke</i> (film) 2013 American film

Lenny Cooke is a 2013 American sports documentary film directed by Josh and Benny Safdie. It tells the life of the former high school basketball player Lenny Cooke. The film had its world premiere at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival on April 18, 2013. It was released in the United States in limited theaters on December 6, 2013.

<i>Howard</i> (film) 2018 documentary film about the life of songwriter Howard Ashman

Howard is a 2018 American documentary film written and directed by Don Hahn about the life of songwriter Howard Ashman. It received positive reviews from critics. The film was originally going to be removed from Disney+ on May 26, 2023. But on May 19, it was announced that it would remain on the service after backlash surrounded the decision.

<i>A Spark Story</i> 2021 American documentary film by Pixar

A Spark Story is a 2021 American documentary film directed by Jason Sterman and Leanne Dare. Focusing on SparkShorts directors Aphton Corbin and Louis Gonzales, the film is a co-production between Pixar and Supper Club, and marks the former's first fully live-action project. The film was released on September 24, 2021, on Disney+. The film will be removed from Disney+ on May 26, 2023.

<i>Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain</i> 2021 American film

Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain is a 2021 American documentary film directed and produced by Morgan Neville. The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 11, 2021, and was released in the United States on July 16, 2021, by Focus Features. The film grossed $5.5 million at the box office and received critical acclaim, but also garnered controversy over its use of artificial intelligence technology to reproduce Bourdain's voice for some audio clips.

<i>A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks</i> 2021 documentary film

A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks is a 2021 documentary film that follows the life of the photographer and filmmaker Gordon Parks. Its title derives from Parks’ 1967 autobiography. The film features Devin Allen, Jelani Cobb, Anderson Cooper, Ava DuVernay, Nelson George, Jamel Shabazz, Spike Lee, and LaToya Ruby Frazier.

<i>Fire Island</i> (film) 2022 film directed by Andrew Ahn

Fire Island is a 2022 American romantic comedy film directed by Andrew Ahn, and written by and starring Joel Kim Booster. The film co-stars Bowen Yang, Conrad Ricamora, James Scully, and Margaret Cho. Inspired by Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, the story follows a group of gay friends who go on vacation to Fire Island, only for things to become complicated by classism and romance.

<i>Hold Your Fire</i> (film) 2021 American documentary by Stefan Forbes

Hold Your Fire is a 2021 American documentary film written, directed, shot, edited, and produced by Stefan Forbes. It is about the 1973 New York City hostage incident in Brooklyn, which helped birth modern police crisis negotiation. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2021, and was theatrically released on May 20, 2022 by IFC Films.

References

  1. "Wolfgang". Tribeca Film Festival . Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  2. Weatherbed, Jess (May 19, 2023). "Disney will remove over 50 shows from Disney Plus and Hulu this month". The Verge. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  3. Hipes, Patrick (October 18, 2019). "Disney+ Revives 'People & Places', Adds Mickey Mouse And Wolfgang Puck Documentaries To Growing Nonfiction Slate". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  4. "Announcing The Feature Film Lineup For Tribeca 2021". Tribeca Film Festival . April 20, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  5. Durham, Madison (May 28, 2021). "There's a new documentary on Wolfgang Puck coming to Disney Plus". USA Today . Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  6. "Disney+ Premiere of Feature Documentary "Wolfgang" Set for June 25". The Futon Critic . May 13, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  7. "WOLFGANG". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2021-12-30.
  8. Bailey, Jason (2021-06-25). "'Wolfgang' Review: Light as a Soufflé, and About as Substantial". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  9. "Stream It Or Skip It: 'Wolfgang' on Disney+, a Mostly Fluffy Biography of First-Ever Celeb Chef Wolfgang Puck". Decider. 2021-06-25. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  10. "Wolfgang Movie Review | Common Sense Media". www.commonsensemedia.org. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  11. Henderson, Odie. "Wolfgang movie review & film summary (2021) | Roger Ebert". rogerebert.com. Retrieved 2022-05-18.