Kate's Film Club: Martha
by Kate Pop Culture
It's Martha Week here at the Happy Isles Leisure page. So our resident film buff 💪Kate Corcoran, took a look at Martha Stewart's new documentary.
Photo: Getty Images
Directed by: R.J. Cutler, 2024
Unlikeable. Entitled. Arrogant. Out of touch. Fucking sociopath. A despicable human being. Puff piece. These are all words pulled from men’s reviews on Letterboxd.
Inspiring. Powerful. Complex. Honest. Humanizing. Enthralling. Entertaining. Legendary. These are all words pulled from women’s reviews on Letterboxd. Ain’t that interesting?
It is no secret that getting to the top of your game means doing whatever it takes, having a lack of personal life and healthy relationships, and not always being “likable.” We’re all fine and used to seeing that in men, but it makes a woman a “bitch.” Let’s be real; I doubt any billionaire would be fun to work for, be partnered with, or be the child of, regardless of gender. All Martha does is strive for perfection. I believe it was Beyonce who said, “A diva is a female version of a hustler.”
I left this doc so inspired. She is an actual genius, seeing the marketability in her personal life. I am nothing like Martha Stewart, but I always appreciate anyone’s take on feminism. She’s an OG. Letting all of us know that enjoying keeping a nice home is more than perfectly okay. Being a feminist means doing what you love and not judging other women for doing the same. When she said, “Just because you don’t have money doesn’t mean you don’t have taste,” about her Kmart partnership sealed the deal for me and my love for her.
I thought this doc was super interesting. I’ve always been mildly intrigued by Martha Stewart, and now I’m fully in. I love Martha’s bluntness and pettiness. She certainly didn’t need to note how hot the Irish guy was that she had an affair with or say “thank goodness” after acknowledging the death of a reporter who slammed her…but that’s who she is. (Editors Note: Turns out that journalist is very much still alive. Which makes the statement all the more iconic.)
I still don’t feel like I know Martha Stewart, and I don’t think anyone ever will. This doc was great, and it put more pieces into place…but I sense there’s a lot more that she won’t reveal.
And you know what? Good for her! Martha owes us nothing.
This entire movie is visual, so let me tell you what I wish we had seen but didn’t:
- The aforementioned handsome Irish man.
- The man at her trader's office getting offended as she hung up on him.
- Prosecutors in a Cuisinart turned on high.
- Less of James Comey ruining another prominent blonde woman’s life.
Final Rating
I’m rating Martha 81/100 focused salads. 🥗
To read all of Kate’s wildly deep and complex reviews, follow @katecorcoran on Letterboxd!
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