“Mr. Scorsese” documents the life of Martin Scorsese, widely considered one of, if not the most important, filmmakers in the medium’s history. Scorsese has lived a complicated life: nearly dying of cocaine abuse, marrying several times and battling multiple controversies for his films’ dark and extreme subject matters. Director Rebecca Miller (“She Came to Me”) uses interviews with Scorsese, as well as his friends, family, collaborators and colleagues to paint a portrait of one of America’s greatest artists, examining almost every film of his to chart a path of his career and personal life. The docuseries ultimately says little new about Scorsese, instead functioning as a “greatest hits” for a director with innumerable great hits. But the series works nonetheless.
Miller takes a linear approach to telling Scorsese’s story, beginning with his childhood in Corona, New York and Little Italy, and ending during the production of “Killers of the Flower Moon.” The first episode covers Scorsese’s childhood through his first meeting with longtime collaborator Robert De Niro (“The Irishman”). Despite the real darkness apparent in his upbringing, early episodes of the show feel surprisingly cozy. Interviews with Scorsese and his friends are inflected with a longing nostalgia for youth, bringing archival footage of New York to life.
Once Scorsese’s filmmaking career takes off, the series shifts to a darker tone. Scorsese has never made “chill” movies, and much of the edge and darkness that permeates his work is a reflection of his own struggles. Miller and Scorsese don’t shy away from this serious subject matter: Scorsese’s drug use is discussed frankly, as is his near-death experience after the filming of “The Last Waltz,” which is essential to understanding his outlook on the world and how his filmmaking reflects his personal struggles. The show is not a pure hagiography of a genius: Scorsese’s long-time editor Thelma Schoonmaker (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) discusses Scorsese’s complicated relationship with women. Isabella Rossellini (“Conclave”), legendary actress and Scorsese’s third wife, discusses Scorsese’s anger issues, depression and internal struggles.
Despite the bracing subject matter, watching “Mr. Scorsese” is never as visceral or as morally apprehensive as watching, say, “Taxi Driver.” Scorsese’s films feel deliberately unsafe and spontaneous. “Mr. Scorsese,” by contrast, feels safe by its subject’s own standards. There’s darkness, but it’s not uncomfortable. Even moments of dread are sort of vibe-y; who wouldn’t want to spend all night in an apartment with coked-out Scorsese, The Band lead guitarist Robbie Robertson and friend/actor Stephen Prince (“Taxi Driver”)?
Scorsese’s works are examined, and each episode is structured around one or two major releases. Episode two, “All this filming isn’t healthy,” starts with the production of “Mean Streets” and ends right before the production of “Raging Bull.” Episode four, “Total Cinema,” starts with the controversy of “The Last Temptation of Christ’s” release and ends right before the production of “Gangs of New York.”
This structure, although it keeps the series entertaining through a constant barrage of great and interesting films, is the show’s biggest shortcoming. “Mr. Scorsese” focuses on “major works” often at the expense of highlighting smaller ones. “Goodfellas” rocks. It’s hard to complain about hearing 20 minutes of talk on one of the most vital and exhilarating movies ever made by figures including De Niro, Steven Spielberg (“Jaws”) and Schoonmaker. However, it’s also frustrating that lesser-known works, such as “Kundun” and “Bringing Out the Dead” are brushed over, and “Hugo” is ignored completely.
It could be argued that this structure is necessary, as more people will have seen “Goodfellas” and “Raging Bull” than “Bringing Out the Dead,” and some summary is necessary for a career as prolific as Scorsese’s. But “Mr. Scorsese” is also five hours long and packed with references to movies that most casual movie watchers will not have heard of. Substantial time is spent discussing Italian neorealism, Scorsese’s film preservation work and the influence of John Cassavetes (“Rosemary’s Baby”) on Scorsese’s work. The series has done its homework and is clearly interested in exploring Scorsese’s catalog and influences beyond the standard film bro’s capacity for analysis. But where it chooses to place its emphasis within Scorsese’s catalog is somewhat predictable and a bit disappointing.
“Mr. Scorsese” feels like it should be made for fanatics. In practice, it often feels too surface-level to satisfy the people it’s made for: diehard movie fans who want to celebrate the work of a beloved filmmaker. Nevertheless, it’s never unpleasant nor hard to watch; “Mr. Scorsese” is miraculously fun and easy to process given the subject matter. Scorsese, himself, however, makes difficult, exhausting and confrontational films about hard topics. This is not that — it’s an enjoyable documentary you can blow through in a weekend.
If you’ve never seen a Scorsese movie, this might serve as an entree into one of the greatest careers in movie history. And if you love Scorsese, you’ll have fun, even if it might not teach you much you didn’t know already.
Daily Arts Writer Jack Connolly can be reached at jconno@umich.edu.
