Stream it:
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With: Paul McCartney (narrator)
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Written by: n/a
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Directed by: Morgan Neville
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MPAA Rating: R for language
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Running Time: 115
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Date: 02/27/2026
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Silly Love Songs
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
Oscar-winner Morgan Neville directs this gripping documentary about a decade in the life of Paul McCartney, post-Beatles. You might wonder, aren't there already plenty of movies about the Beatles? Well, yes, but this one is still pretty eye-opening. If I had thought about it, I would have assumed that McCartney's transition from Beatle to solo artist was without incident, but that's not the case. Right off the bat, 1969 was a turbulent year for Paul. John announced, privately to the group, that he was leaving. But it was Paul who got the credit, and the blame, for announcing the breakup to the public. Plus he was newly married, to Linda, taking on her daughter from a previous marriage, and becoming a new dad himself. Then, escaping to a farmhouse in Scotland sparked a rumor that Paul had died. He recorded his first solo album almost by himself, and then formed Wings and began playing small venues before going big in the mid-1970s. Basically he was trying to figure out how not to be a Beatle. Neville does a marvelous job of shaping this period into an actual story arc with a beginning, middle, and end, and making it an emotional ride as well as a great-sounding one.
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