Paul McCartney: Man on the Run Review – Sweetly Vulnerable and Rare Portrait of Self-Actualization

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Aside from Bob Dylan, The Beatles – and each of its members – have been the subject of more writing and documentation than any other musical group in history. John Lennon’s son, Sean Ono Lennon, believes the creative partnership between John and Paul McCartney was truly unique and unlikely to be repeated. Now, award-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville (known for documentaries like Piece by Piece, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, and 20 Feet from Stardom) offers a new perspective, focusing on Paul McCartney’s journey of personal growth and fulfillment after the band’s breakup. It’s a particularly moving and thoughtful approach to their story.

This documentary combines old footage, simple animation, photos, and interviews to create a compelling portrait of a dedicated artist – Paul McCartney. While many still prefer the image of John Lennon, this film avoids being overly celebratory. Instead, it offers a sincere and honest look, not at McCartney’s work as a whole, but at the unique details of his extraordinary life.

The documentary Man on the Run follows Paul McCartney’s life from 1969, when John Lennon secretly told the Beatles he was leaving the band, through the early 1980s after his group Wings disbanded and Lennon’s tragic death. It explores the complex relationship between McCartney and Lennon – their friendship, their disagreements, and their eventual reconciliation – suggesting that McCartney’s development as both an artist and a person was deeply connected to The Beatles and his lifelong bond with Lennon.

While John Lennon was the first to suggest ending The Beatles, record company pressure kept the split quiet until Paul McCartney was essentially compelled to announce it publicly. This, combined with widespread confusion and how the media reported things, led many to believe McCartney was the one who broke up the band – and that he did it because he was greedy, childish, and overly focused on his own career. However, this wasn’t true. In the early 1970s, McCartney and his new wife, Linda, actually moved to a very dilapidated house in the Scottish countryside – a place even experienced home renovators would have hesitated to buy.

The documentary follows Paul McCartney’s life after the Beatles, starting with his quiet period that led to rumors of his death. It covers the making of his first solo album, Ram – initially criticized but now highly regarded – the formation of his band Wings, and even his arrest for marijuana possession in Japan. The film portrays McCartney’s post-Beatles career as a search for a unique musical voice, though McCartney himself sees it as learning to appreciate his work on its own terms, rather than trying to live up to the legacy of his previous band.

As a movie lover, I was completely captivated by this documentary, expertly edited by Alan Lowe. He has a really playful, witty style – he’ll jump between personal stories and perfectly matched music or visuals. What struck me most was how it beautifully showed the link between the artist’s life and their work, something I haven’t seen done so well before. It’s a genuinely entertaining film, but it also manages to take this often-revered figure and make him feel incredibly human, which, surprisingly, makes his artistry even more powerful.

The most heartwarming aspect of the film is how it portrays the friendship between Paul McCartney and John Lennon. They’ve often been depicted as former lovers whose differing beliefs – Lennon as a political radical and McCartney as a conservative – led to an unfixable break. However, much like the famous filmmakers François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard, the story of their falling out was blown out of proportion for dramatic effect. The truth is, McCartney and Lennon always maintained a deep respect, affection, and commitment to being honest with each other.

Losing someone so close can fundamentally change you, splitting your life into before and after. For Paul McCartney, the shock of John Lennon’s death was devastating, but it also marked a turning point, allowing him to emerge as a unique artist. No longer defined by The Beatles, he found his own voice, crafting lyrics with a gentle, pastoral quality. He was finally free to be himself, without the pressure of expectations or the need to escape.

Paul McCartney: Man on the Run streams on Amazon Prime Video on February 27th, 2026.

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2026-02-26 21:29