Martha review: the Martha Stewart documentary

Martha was a well-done documentary about the long and varied life of “the original influencer” Martha Stewart.

Directed by R.J. Cutler, I thought Martha was a cut above what you see in a lot of biopic films about celebrities. It made minimal use of talking heads while still showing a comprehensive look at Martha Stewart’s long life. She’s had many successes including her own media empire. She’s also had some setbacks. Even the months she spent in prison didn’t slow her down.

One thing the film does well is use legacy images and archival footage of Martha Stewart’s life. It looks at the good and the bad. She’s bossy, a perfectionist, arrogant, and a demon to her employees. She’s also smart, good at business, and knows how to find a niche and fill it with something needed.

I confess I’ve never been a Martha Stewart fan. I don’t follow her or buy what she’s selling. I basically ignored everything about her trial for insider trading. But Martha held my interest.

One interesting thing to me in the documentary is that James Comey, the man who derailed Hillary Clinton’s career, is the same man who destroyed Martha Stewart. Had I been paying attention, I would have known that.

Which brings up one of the facets of Martha’s story. Men cannot stand for a strong woman to be in power. Given a chance, men will turn on her like jackals. She’s struggled with mistreatment from men all her life.

Another facet of her story is her creative imagination. She shows people how to do things well and make them look good. She sold her brand at K Mart, a place the average woman could afford to shop.

Reinvention is another theme in her life. She’s showed again and again that she can face a setback and come out of it with new ideas for new ways to go forward.

I may not be the homemaker, dinner party maven Martha Stewart built her career out of, but by golly I admire her strength and resilience. She’s influenced American culture for the better.

The documentary is worth a look. It’s on Netflix. If you watch it, please share your thoughts. The comments are open.