I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

So yeah, this thing's really, really long. Definitely longer than it needs to be, but at the same time, it makes the film stand out, at least. Differentiates itself from the pack for me, I guess, given I've never personally watched a music documentary this long. George Harrison was always the most mysterious, spiritual of all The Beatles, so if a nearly 3 and a half hour documentary had to be made about one of them, that's a fairly good reason to, I suppose. About half of the film here will be very familiar to most Beatles fans, as the first half largely focuses on one of the biggest music phenomenons of all time. Thankfully, the extra focus on George Harrison during the film's first half means this familiar story does not feel entirely stale or redundant. The second half is less straight forward and more interesting too, I think, focusing on George Harrison's solo career and post-Beatles endeavors. However, it's also somewhat inconsistent. I found certain sections moving and engrossing, whilst feeling that some other sections dragged on longer than needed. One final minor complaint would be what I thought was some dodgy editing in parts. Often when they played a Beatles or George Harrison song, the music would cut off abruptly when it transitioned to an interview or someone talking about said song. I found it jarring every time this happened, and kept wondering whether it was some strange stylistic choice that I just wasn't getting. Anyway, if I'm sounding overly negative, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be, because this was still pretty good, and I've certainly experienced many other movies of a similar length that did feel longer than this. I guess it might be a little disappointing, considering this is one of the best directors of all time (Scorsese) making a documentary on a member of one of the greatest bands of all time. Still, it's good, all things considered. Certainly recommended, just maybe lower your expectations a tad, and definitely don't feel like you have to watch the whole thing in one go either.

I just saw this documentary in the Morelia Film Festival, where Olivia Harrison attended some screenings, and I came out disappointed. I loved No Direction Home so I had great expectations about Scorsese and this film. The first part (about 1 hour and a half) is just a remake of The Beatles Anthology, even with some footage from the interviews of that film. We get to see the same pictures and footage of the Beatles that we have seen for the last 50 years in long shots. We get to listen to "I Saw Her Standing There" and "And I Love Her" (not George's songs) at least three times each, and then never heard a single note of "Taxman"or "I Need You" or ""For You Blue" or that glorious B-side "Old Brown Shoe". After The Beatles split the fascinating story of post-Beatles Harrison is told, but in my view it lacks a lot of depth and material. For instance, the profound and meaningful relationship of George with Bob Dylan is not tackled but only on the surface and the friendship and collaboration with Jeff Lynne is only shown in the video of "Handle With Care". Lynne revamped Harrison's career by producing the great Cloud Nine album and then having a lot of collaborations. They were in a band call The Travelling Wilburies and also George invited Lynn to produce The Beatles songs for the Anthology sets. I was puzzled that this film has not even one interview with Jeff Lynne. Isn't it a pity?

The rock doc format is a tricky one and one that's not been done well very much, ever.The Beatles' Anthology was a huge exception - that was one hell of a great documentary, giving us an incredible number of new insights into the world's greatest rock band ever. But that documentary was done with the full cooperation of the surviving Beatles.Here, Martin Scorcese takes on a trickier subject - that of a reclusive Beatle, post mortem - and produces a gem. Like any great documentary, there were many revelations that rewarded the viewer with insights into a great but little-known man. This was the least-interviewed and least-public Beatle and it took a lot of hard work to produce this, no doubt. So kudos to Scorcese indeed.True, too, is that this is a warts-and-all biography - which any great documentary should be. It doesn't tarnish the love you likely feel for Harrison. It just makes him more human. Turns out, for instance, that he was not only the funniest of all the Beatles (as you will find out), but also capable of the most biting honesty when he didn't like something a person did (and his wit was perhaps even sharper than John Lennon's, in the doing). OK - so he was human, like you and me. Not perfect, but nothing revealed makes us lose the slightest bit of admiration and respect for him.The movie did, however, tarnish my view of one of my other idols, Eric Clapton, who is caught in a big lie in this film. Shame on you, Eric. George forgave you but I don't.Finally, like any great documentary, you're going to be sad when it ends. (Any other footage you could use for a part 3, Marty?)

On the Beatles Albums most of the Songs were Written by Lennon/Mccartney (and other covers of RnR and R&B standards) but there was usually one that was Penned by a Fella named Harrison. That one Track was always Stack-able next to the others and was not just a throwaway or token Inclusion. The song was just as Cool and Rocked along with the others, and if one Listened Closely it did have an Ethereal and Otherworldly Feel that was not only from the Heart but linked to the Soul with a Mystical Presence Apart from the other three minute Teenybopper Soaps.That was George Harrison. Even before, even He, knew that there was more..."it's just things", he would say, "it really doesn't matter". But it turned out It Did Matter as He would Discover. While the Juggernaut of John and Paul was Prolifically Pounding out a stream of Wonderful, Timeless little Ditties of Poetry with a Back-Beat, George was Gently Pushed to the Peripheral and as it turned out, that is where His Clever Cultivation Occurred. The Results were Not as Numerous but just as Substantial as His Mates.This was His Essence, the Spiritual seeking and the Oneness of it all that became His Belief and it proved to be rather Reflective in Retrospect.Part of the Sum of the Parts as to what the Beatles without the Fab Four could Never have been. It's like Paul says in the Film..."A square with four corners, remove one and it is gone".So the Documentary Lays Bare that in this corner we have George, and it (He) is clearly Exposed as the most Self-Conscious, Introspective of the Group and Shows the Band to be simply...John the Mind...Paul the Heart...George the Soul...and Ringo Wrapped it together on the Skins.The Film is Not all Encompassing, what could ever be?. The Film is Not always Entertaining, no One Life ever is. The Film is a Long Exposure of a Moving Snapshot. A Look in on the Life and Times of a Man, a Dreamer, an Artist, and a Sensitive Soul that tried to figure it all out by being..."IN the Material World...but not OF the Material World".The Movie is a Stark and Welcome Compendium and a Compilation of Images, Thoughts, and Feelings about an Interesting Fella that can still "Light Up the Room".