From an initial atmosphere of critical disdain and personal derision for both McCartneys the film charts the band's progress to its commercial peaks of international success and acclaim before it suffers its own disintegration at the beginning of the 1980s.

"[2]Expanded versions of the film, titled Wingspan - An Intimate Portrait were also released commercially on VHS and DVD in 2001, the latter featuring an additional 22 minutes of interview footage and a number of promotional videos.

[4] John Levesque of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer stated it "is a pleasant ride for anyone with passing interest in one of the most gifted and prolific composers of the rock era ... the film "plays like a combination VH1 retrospective and Barbara Walters special ... superbly edited, and with a soundtrack to awaken the memories, it's a cozy mix of information and music about a guy we've known for years, yet hardly know at all".

[6] Dan Rodricks, a columnist for The Baltimore Sun, commented that he had "no interest in Wings or the music it made, but I loved this film for the other, more human stories it tells about a husband and wife searching for a way to have a fulfilling life as personal and professional partners".

[8] Stephen Dalton from Uncut Magazine opined that "this two-hours-plus archive, complete with an accompanying TV film, the old sweet'n'sour genius of Lennon-McCartney is replaced by twinkly sentiments and treacly arrangements ... prolonged exposure to Paul and Linda's overly cute blend of Kinksian music-hall whimsy, woolly anti-war slogans, ersatz Fifties boogie-woogie and Smug Marrieds contentment becomes tiresome".