The Last Movie Stars

Name: The Last Movie Stars
Genre: Movie/Mini-Series, Documentary, Arts
Released: July 21, 2022
Rating: 91

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Universal acclaim based on 16 Critic Reviews

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Mixed or average reviews based on 4 Ratings

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5.8

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The Last Movie Stars

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Series Details & Credits

HBO Max | Release Date: July 21, 2022

Summary: The six-part Ethan Hawke documentary about Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman features archival interviews of Woodward and Newman as well as new interviews with Sally Field, Melanie Griffith, and Martin Scorsese.

Genre(s): Movie/Mini-Series, Documentary, Arts

Recent Episodes

tbd
S1:E6. Chapter 6: Luck is an Art
Air Date: July 21, 2022
tbd
S1:E5. Chapter 5: Against the Sky
Air Date: July 21, 2022
tbd
S1:E4. Chapter 4: Paying the Price
Air Date: July 21, 2022

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

The Playlist Marya E. Gates

Jul 21, 2022

Season 1 Review: [Ethan Hawke] expertly weaves footage from their films that, when paired with the memoir audio, takes on autobiographical layers, unearthing them like an archaeologist finding these layers hidden in plain sight. ... While the doc’s exploration of Newman’s superstardom in the 1960s is strong, Hawke’s careful examination of how motherhood affected Woodward’s stardom is raw and powerful. Read full review

100

TV Guide Magazine Matt Roush

Jul 21, 2022

Season 1 Review: We learn an encyclopedia’s worth of detail about their careers, lives and struggles over the immersive, exhaustive six chapters of The Last Movie Stars. [25 Jul - 14 Aug 2022, p.4] Read full review

100

Peter Travers

Jul 29, 2022

Season 1 Review: The radical brilliance of Ethan Hawke’s penetrating look into the exceptional art and stormy marriage of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward is essential viewing for fans and newbies alike and an outpouring of movie love you’ll never forget. Read full review

Daniel D'Addario

Jul 19, 2022

Season 1 Review: This documentary series may not convince you its subjects were the last movie stars; their mastery of showing what they wanted the world to see feels utterly contemporary. But they’re unusually gifted ones — as, after spending six hours in their company, you’ll leave “The Last Movie Stars” wanting more. Read full review

Richard Roeper

Jul 20, 2022

Season 1 Review: You get an almost visceral appreciation for Hawke’s unbridled and infectious love of movies and his undying passion for chronicling the life and times of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, the subjects of this brilliantly conceived, masterfully executed, admirably honest and consistently revealing series. Read full review

John Anderson

Jul 19, 2022

Season 1 Review: The director/narrator's enthusiasm serves to undercut the importance of his subjects. ... Perhaps you have to be a fan of either of the actors already to burrow into "The Last Movie Stars," though in terms of film biography, or documentary in general, it's a remarkable piece of work in the way it toys with structure and freewheeling impressionistic portraiture and creates a knowing account of what it meant to have a life in pictures, and marry it to another, and then figure out who is going to be who, and which part to play. As a story about stars, it may be a period piece. As a story about relationships, it doesn't really have an expiration date. Read full review

Kathryn VanArendonk

Jul 25, 2022

Season 1 Review: It’s an indulgent project, but it’s thoughtful enough about episodic shape to justify the run time. By the end, it cannot help but trend toward a touch of mysticism, and yet it’s hard to begrudge Hawke’s bald fondness. Read full review

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UncleWillard

Jul 29, 2022

I love Paul Newman. One of my favorite movies of all time is Cool Hand Luke. I think it's the first movie I watched, as a kid (10-12?) that I actually noticed that movies weren't just about entertainment. This film told me something about the human condition and I got it, not that it's superI love Paul Newman. One of my favorite movies of all time is Cool Hand Luke. I think it's the first movie I watched, as a kid (10-12?) that I actually noticed that movies weren't just about entertainment. This film told me something about the human condition and I got it, not that it's super deep, but it was to me then and it still resonates. What made it resonate was Paul Newman. I immediately trusted him. I trusted that he was telling me the truth, even though I knew he was "acting."

I don't know much about Joanne Woodward at all, as I'm not familiar with her films. This documentary makes that point very eloquently and without (much) rancor or guilt. I think it was a different time, but even so, Paul Newman recognized how brilliant she was and they were completely in love. Even his infidelity can be forgiven as it was obvious these two were meant for each other. Outside of the in depth look at both of their careers, personal lives, and politics, Ethan Hawke does a great job of putting that into their legacy on Hollywood still. The only thing I find a tad (and I mean a very small tad) is the cringey Xoom calls. The Imagine video ruined the celebrity Zoom call for me. Add to that, a certain amount of implied nobility to the acting profession I just don't see. Yes, it's an art form, and I love hearing actors and directors talking about the craft, but it's only during the 20th century that it became so ennobled. Used to be kinda trashy. I wish these documentaries would temper their patting themselves on the back with that more.

Still, one of the better Hollywood docs out there. I always wanted to meet Newman, and now Woodward, and I would love to hear what they would have thought of this.… Expand

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Seasons & Episodes

91

Series Overview
Season 1

91
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: July 21, 2022
- tbd
  S1:E6. Chapter 6: Luck is an Art
  Air Date: July 21, 2022
- tbd
  S1:E5. Chapter 5: Against the Sky
  Air Date: July 21, 2022
- tbd
  S1:E4. Chapter 4: Paying the Price
  Air Date: July 21, 2022
- tbd
  S1:E3. Chapter 3: The Legend of Paul Leonard Newman
  Air Date: July 21, 2022
- tbd
  S1:E2. Chapter 2: A Star is Born
  Air Date: July 21, 2022
- tbd
  S1:E1. Chapter 1: Cosmic Orphans
  Air Date: July 21, 2022