--- title: "George Harrison: Living in the Material World: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/george-harrison-living-in-the-material-world/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/george-harrison-living-in-the-material-world" critics_score: 71 critics_reviews: 15 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # George Harrison: Living in the Material World (2011): what the critics said Critics' score 71 from 15 reviews: 9 positive, 6 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics find Martin Scorsese’s portrait of George Harrison affectionate and moving, with praise concentrated on the rare archival footage, interviews and use of music. The reviews repeatedly value the access to Harrison and those around him, even when they question how much it reveals. His spiritual search gives the film emotional weight for several critics, while the editing draws praise for bringing together an abundance of material. The reservations concern length, missing context and a reluctance to probe Harrison’s failings. The response ranges from warmly appreciative to mixed, with no outright negative verdicts in the supplied scores. Critics disagree most sharply over how revealing the portrait is: Paste finds fresh perspective in the interviews and archive, while Slant Magazine sees a bloated missed opportunity offering little unexpected insight. Several reviews also suggest that unexplained details make the film less accommodating to newcomers than to existing admirers. ## The Hollywood Reporter — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 4 September 2011. Festival review. McCarthy finds the documentary richly satisfying and consistently engaging. He especially praises its extraordinary archival footage, intimate interviews, and wealth of musical material. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/george-harrison-living-material-world-231121/) ## Los Angeles Times — Robert Lloyd Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 5 October 2011. Lloyd finds Scorsese’s documentary a lovely, emotionally rich portrait of Harrison, though it leaves out information and sometimes fails to explain what it includes. He especially praises its musical arrangement and depth of feeling. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-et-george-harrison-20111005-story.html) ## Evening Standard — The Standard Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2012. The critic finds the film a long, loving tribute that sometimes struggles to uncover Harrison’s private self. The archive and interview material is especially praised for its editing. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/george-harrison-living-in-the-material-world-review-7426892.html) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 29 September 2011. Bradshaw finds the documentary affectionate and cherishable, though indulgent and overlong. He singles out the thrilling use of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and the stunning early photographs. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/sep/29/george-harrison-material-world-review) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 4 September 2011. Festival review. Debruge finds the documentary a thoughtful, emotionally engaging portrait rather than mere hagiography. He praises its exploration of Harrison’s lifelong spiritual search, while noting that its rapid chronology and unexplained details can leave newcomers behind. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2011/film/reviews/living-in-the-material-world-1117945967/) ## The AV Club — Noel Murray Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 5 October 2011. Murray finds the documentary shaggy but ultimately moving, with its focus on Harrison’s search for meaning giving the film emotional force. He praises Scorsese’s use of studio outtakes and archival footage, while faulting the film for not probing Harrison’s weaknesses more deeply. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/george-harrison-living-in-the-material-world-1798169887) ## Radio Times — Terry Payne Fi1m's normalised score 66/100 (inferred from the text). 10 October 2011. The page identifies this as a DVD review, but the accessible text does not reveal the critic’s verdict. Its metadata describes Scorsese’s film as a comprehensive profile of Harrison. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/audio/dvd-review-george-harrison-living-in-the-material-world/) ## The New York Times — Mike Hale Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 5 October 2011. The review finds Scorsese’s documentary compelling overall, though not wholly revelatory. It singles out the film’s extensive access to Harrison’s life and the people around him. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/05/arts/television/george-harrison-documentary-from-martin-scorsese.html) ## Time Out Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 15 March 2012. The available page metadata describes Scorsese’s documentary as a deep dive into Harrison’s life. The review’s verdict and any specific praise or criticism cannot be determined from the article text. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/newyork/film/george-harrison-living-in-the-material-world-1) ## Film Comment — Chris Norris Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The accessible page does not expose the critic’s verdict. It likewise provides no praise or complaint to identify. [Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/issues/september-october-2011/?pdfviewer=issue&pdf-page=73) ## Screen Daily — Fionnuala Halligan Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 19 September 2011. The page identifies this as a review, but its critical verdict is not visible in the accessible text. The paywall also hides any specific praise or complaint. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/-george-harrison-living-in-the-material-world/5032270.article) ## Slant Magazine — Nick Schager Rating 2/4. 24 September 2011. Schager finds the documentary bloated and frustratingly short on insight, calling it a missed opportunity. He praises its assured editing and wealth of archival footage, but says the film offers no unexpected revelations. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/george-harrison-living-in-the-material-world/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 5 October 2011. The article recommends the documentary as a comprehensive, satisfying portrait of Harrison. It praises the film’s honest treatment of his life, though it says the four-hour account flies by too quickly. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/martin-scorseses-george-harrison-documentary-premieres-and-you-should-watch-31581/) ## Paste — Holly Cara Price Rating 8.1/10. 5 October 2011. Price calls the documentary a beautiful and revealing account of Harrison’s life. She praises its stellar interviews and rare archival footage, which bring fresh perspective to a familiar story. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/george-harrison/george-harrison-living-in-the-material-world) ## NME — Hamish MacBain Rating Recommended. 30 September 2011. The critic finds the film a fitting, celebratory tribute, though it glosses over some difficult aspects of Harrison’s life. He especially praises the rare footage and Harrison’s matter-of-fact letters home to his parents. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/blogs/the-movies-blog/george-harrison-living-in-the-material-world-review-763418) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/george-harrison-living-in-the-material-world.md