Being Mary Tyler Moore

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2:25

Being Mary Tyler Moore

2023

1h 59m

Documentary

Biography

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

97%

Tomatometer

35 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Chronicling the vanguard career of Mary Tyler Moore, weaving her personal narrative with the beats of her professional accomplishments, highlighting her groundbreaking roles and the indelible impact she had on generations of women who came after her.

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Critics Consensus

Being Mary Tyler Moore is an entertaining yet unflinching documentary which blends celebration with candor, using Moore's own voice to illuminate both her joyful cultural legacy and the complexities beneath her carefully crafted public image.

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Claudia Puig

FilmWeek (LAist)

Jun 6, 2023

Even if you don't have personal connections [to Mary Tyler Moore], it will resonate.

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Ty Burr

Ty Burr's Watch List (Substack)

May 27, 2023

2.5/4

An agreeable, bog-standard bio-documentary that will probably leave you a weepy mess if you have any emotional corner in your heart reserved for Laura Petrie, Mary Richards, or even chilly Beth Jarrett from “Ordinary People.”

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Brian Lowry

CNN.com

May 26, 2023

As these productions go “Being Mary Tyler Moore” doesn’t quite catch fire, but it does provide a warming glow in celebrating a signature talent who did, indeed, make it after all.

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Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality & Practice

Dec 9, 2023

4.5/5

Biopicture with film clips showcasing the multi-talented pioneering tv and film actress.

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James Croot

The Post NZ

Oct 20, 2023

4/5

As James Adolphus’ entertaining, enlightening, insightful and emotional two-hour look at the multi-storied life and career of Mary Tyler Moore reveals, the journey to landing the role of Laura Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show hadn’t exactly been smooth.

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Michael Clark

Epoch Times

Aug 12, 2023

4.5/5

Moore was a complex and imperfect person who was never afraid to portray characters with the same traits. She lived a life that yielded great rewards, but it also included significant devastating setbacks. “Being” offers a near-perfect balance of both.

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Nick E.

@nicksmovies93 Jul 17, 2025

An endearing look at a television icon.

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Dena B

@RT33513755 Oct 22, 2023

Love Rob Reiner infinity.

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Alan W

@PatronWong Jul 20, 2023

Conventional and chronologically structured biographical account of the actor/performer charting her rise to fame through two classic U.S. sitcoms of the 60s and 70s, HBO Max's Being Mary Tyler Moore juxtaposes her modern portrayal of, first a housewife to Dick Van Dyke and then as an independent career woman in her own show, with the rise of feminism and how the portrayal of women pivots, at least on the small screen, to play tribute to a pioneering TV career. Beyond that, the film is more descriptive and less penetrating, especially with her personal life and her marriages which feels a little fudged over. However, for someone like me, who only has a passing knowledge of her as I've not really grown up with her shows, it serves as a fascinating but perhaps cursory introduction to the groundbreaking actor's life and work.

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Scott Toaden M

@RT66956616 Jul 1, 2023

I love MTM. This doc was a disappointment. It was 2 hours that could have been under 45 minutes. It was pretty jumbled and it looses it's focus several times not knowing what kind of documentary it wants to me. It is fun to watch for the audio clips from her and many celbs and people they knew her (mostly without video). This one is for the fans and people just wanting to look at women icons of 60s/70s to waste some time but it drags on . .. . Most disappointing is how it wastes so much time on repeating things and skips over important information. For example it mentions MTM's diabetes but doesn't talk about it till the end and it focuses on that for long time repeating things . . . Also mentions MTM Enterprises but none of the other shows they produced or how she worked with people on other shows. . . . it also skips over many issues she had. It just wasn't good and was a let down.

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Being Mary Tyler Moore: Trailer

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Synopsis

Chronicling the vanguard career of Mary Tyler Moore, weaving her personal narrative with the beats of her professional accomplishments, highlighting her groundbreaking roles and the indelible impact she had on generations of women who came after her.

Director: James Adolphus
Producer: James Adolphus, Debra Martin Chase, Andrew Coles, Laura Gardner, Rishi Rajani, Ben Selkow, Lena Waithe
Distributor: HBO
Production Co: HBO Documentary Films, Fifth Season, Hillman Grad
Genre: Documentary, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): May 26, 2023
Runtime: 1h 59m

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