Martha

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2:11

Martha

R

2024

1h 53m

Kids & Family

Documentary

Biography

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

90%

Tomatometer

39 Reviews

94%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

This definitive documentary on Martha Stewart pulls back the curtain on one of America's greatest self-made icons, from her start as a teenage model to her stint as a Wall Street stockbroker to her reign as the grand dame of entertaining and good taste. Directed by R.J. Cutler (Elton John: Never Too Late, Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry, The September Issue), Martha draws on hundreds of hours of intimate interviews with Stewart and those from her inner circle, along with Stewart's private archives of diaries, letters, and never-seen-before footage. The film illuminates Stewart's upbringing in a working-class family, compels us to reconsider the scandal that sent her to prison, and heralds her post-prison reinvention as the original influencer who's still captivating new generations of fans.

Critics Consensus

Glossy like a Martha Stewart cookbook and just as pleasurable to parse, R.J. Cutler's documentary offers an intimate glimpse into one of America's most enduring icons.

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Craig Mathieson

The Age (Australia)

11/15/2024

4/5

“I never look the other way,” she says, and thankfully neither does Cutler’s documentary.

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Peter Rainer

FilmWeek (LAist)

11/13/2024

To its credit, it doesn't pull any punches on the tough side of her.

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Alissa Wilkinson

New York Times

11/06/2024

“Martha” feels like a far more comprehensible key to Stewart — who has been the subject of speculation, fascination, jokes that turn cruel and plenty of schadenfreude — than half a century of media attention has managed to find.

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Alise Chaffins

MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack)

Jul 23

3.5/5

A film about a woman who embodies strength, perfection, and business savvy but also a woman who is tender, flawed, and made a mistake that put her in prison. Martha Stewart is a woman who contains multitudes, and Martha shows them all.

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Loren King

Newport This Week (RI)

01/03/2025

Cutler wisely anchors the film with his interview with Stewart and lets her relate her story in her own words. The disarming candor and occasional prickliness is revealing.

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Stephen Silver

The SS Ben Hecht

12/06/2024

What I liked about this is that it’s not pure hagiography, and was willing to get into uncomfortable subjects, like Stewart’s affairs and breakups.

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Chaz K

@RT43802349 Mar 1

she is impressive, sad to see what happened

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Vince Q.

@Vincedeq Nov 2

If you didn’t know know her before, watch this film and discover one of the all-time top boss girls.

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Movie F.

@hiker Oct 26

Honest depiction of someone who’s had a huge impact and who is not very likable.

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Jandi J

@RT89925093 Sep 23

I absolutely loved this documentary. As a public figure, I’d heard Martha’s name over the years, but I had no idea how fascinating and multifaceted her life has been. Martha goes far beyond the headlines, giving us an intimate look at the ambition, resilience, and complexity behind the brand. It's equal parts inspiring and surprising—offering both glamour and grit. A compelling portrait of a woman who defined (and redefined) success on her own terms.

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Kyle M

@RT77296778 Jun 22

Hear the name but the interaction is infrequent. This documentary sums up the imagery and examination quite well, both on prolific terms, while staying on neutral grounds albeit the conceptual intrigue and leaves the viewer speculate one’s own conclusion over the scandalous core that’s been proven fundamental to her overarching story. (B+)

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Steven S

@RT92004425 04/23/2025

Martha as you’ve never seen her, from early life through now in 2025. It was really comprehensive and fair. When you’re on top, people look for your flaws and seize on them; ok, she was demanding and mean, is that reason to ruin someone? Her broker told her to sell the stock for $46,000, and on that amount, they found that one flaw to take her out. But a Nancy Pelosi is allowed to insider trade, make millions, and accumulates generational wealth. Give me a break. And I knew she knew this whole case was designed to bring down a billion dollar self-made business empire….oh no, jealousy was looming out there waiting to strike. I’ve always liked and respected her, her brand, her work, and success. I’m glad she seemed to land on her feet mostly, tho she’s not lucky in love.

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R.J. Cutler

Director

Martha Stewart

Self

Dan Abrams

Self

Jed Alexander

Guest Voice

Marland Proctor

Self

Mark Blatty

Executive Producer

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Martha: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

This definitive documentary on Martha Stewart pulls back the curtain on one of America's greatest self-made icons, from her start as a teenage model to her stint as a Wall Street stockbroker to her reign as the grand dame of entertaining and good taste. Directed by R.J. Cutler (Elton John: Never Too Late, Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry, The September Issue), Martha draws on hundreds of hours of intimate interviews with Stewart and those from her inner circle, along with Stewart's private archives of diaries, letters, and never-seen-before footage. The film illuminates Stewart's upbringing in a working-class family, compels us to reconsider the scandal that sent her to prison, and heralds her post-prison reinvention as the original influencer who's still captivating new generations of fans.

Director: R.J. Cutler
Producer: Jane Cha, Alino Cho, Austin Wilkin, R.J. Cutler, Trevor Smith
Distributor: Netflix
Production Co: A Netflix Original Documentary
Rating: R (A Brief Drug Reference|A Sexual Reference)
Genre: Kids & Family, Documentary, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 25, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 30, 2024
Runtime: 1h 53m