Honestly, the title says it all. When It’s So Good Netflix (officially titled It’s So Good: The Story of Martha Stewart) finally hit the streaming platform, the internet basically had a collective meltdown. We’ve seen a million celebrity documentaries. Usually, they’re just polished PR projects designed to make some famous person look like a saint. But this one? It felt different. It felt raw. It felt like Martha Stewart was finally ready to burn the house down and build it back up with better crown molding.
People are talking. Everyone from your grandmother who still uses Martha's 1990s pie recipes to the Gen Z kids on TikTok making edits of her prison era is obsessed. It isn't just a movie. It’s a vibe.
What Actually Happens in It's So Good Netflix
The documentary, directed by R.J. Cutler, isn't just a highlight reel of Martha's greatest hits. It’s messy. You get to see the transition from her early days as a model to the powerhouse stockbroker era, and then the meteoric rise of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. But the "good" part—the part people are actually searching for—is the honesty.
She doesn't hold back about her marriage to Andrew Stewart. It was a disaster. Watching her talk about the infidelities and the coldness of their relationship is uncomfortable. It makes you realize that while she was teaching the world how to host the perfect dinner party, her own home was falling apart. That’s the irony that keeps you glued to the screen.
The film leans heavily on her personal archives. We aren't just talking about old photos; we’re talking about private letters and diary entries that reveal a much more vulnerable, and sometimes much more abrasive, version of the domestic goddess than we’ve ever seen before.
The Prison Era and the Comeback
We have to talk about the orange jumpsuit. Or, well, the lack of one, because Martha famously made her own poncho. It’s So Good Netflix spends a significant amount of time on the 2004 insider trading scandal. This is where the documentary really earns its "must-watch" status. She doesn't apologize. Not really.
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Martha Stewart in this film is unapologetic about her ambition. She describes her time in Alderson Federal Prison not as a tragedy, but as a hurdle. A annoying, bureaucratic hurdle.
- She talks about the "miserable" conditions.
- She mentions the lack of quality food (obviously).
- She details how she used that time to plan her next act.
Most celebrities would try to cry for the cameras here. Martha just looks at the lens and basically says, "Yeah, it sucked, but look at me now." It is that specific brand of "IDGAF" energy that has made the documentary go viral.
Why It's So Good Netflix Ranks So High with Viewers
Is it the nostalgia? Maybe. But I think it’s the shift in how we view powerful women. Twenty years ago, the media painted Martha as a "difficult" woman. Today, we call that being a boss. The documentary leans into this shift perfectly.
The pacing is frantic. One minute you're looking at a $50 million IPO, and the next, you're looking at a woman who is genuinely lonely in a massive farmhouse. R.J. Cutler, who also directed The September Issue, knows how to frame a "difficult" woman in a way that makes her human without stripping away her power.
There’s also the Snoop Dogg factor. While the documentary focuses more on her early life, the cultural context of her "rebirth" via her friendship with Snoop is the subtext of the whole final act. It proves she is the ultimate survivor. She didn't just return to her old life; she invented a new one where she’s cooler than she was at thirty.
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The Controversy Behind the Scenes
It wouldn't be a Martha Stewart project without a little drama, right? After It’s So Good Netflix premiered, Martha herself actually had some choice words about it. She wasn't thrilled with the final third of the film. She told The New York Times that she felt the ending focused too much on her "old lady" years and not enough on her current business ventures.
She hated the camera angles. She literally complained that the director used "bad angles" that made her look older.
That is the most Martha Stewart thing to ever happen. Even in a documentary about her entire life, she’s still trying to micromanage the lighting. This public friction between the subject and the director actually made more people want to watch it. It added a layer of meta-commentary: is the documentary "so good" because it’s true, or is it "so good" because it managed to annoy the woman who demands perfection?
The Visual Aesthetic and Editing
Visually, the film is a feast. The archival footage from the 80s is grainy and warm, contrasting sharply with the crisp, almost sterile interviews in her current home. It feels like a time capsule.
The editing doesn't follow a boring linear path. It jumps around, mimicking the way Martha talks—quick, sharp, and always moving toward the next point. There are moments where the music swells and you feel like you're watching a thriller rather than a biopic about a woman who sells bedsheets. That’s the secret sauce.
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What Most People Get Wrong About Martha
People think she was just a lucky housewife who knew how to bake. The documentary destroys that myth. She was a professional stockbroker on Wall Street when there were almost no women there. She was a shark.
The "It's So Good" part of the title reflects the quality of her empire. She didn't just want to provide recipes; she wanted to define a standard. The documentary shows that this drive for perfection came from a place of deep insecurity and a demanding father. It’s a classic psychological profile wrapped in a high-gloss Netflix package.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Next Binge Watch
If you’re planning to dive into It’s So Good Netflix, you should go in with a bit of context to really appreciate what you’re seeing. It isn't just background noise while you fold laundry.
- Watch the 1990s footage closely. Look at the way she handles the press. She was doing "personal branding" before that was even a term.
- Pay attention to the letters. The documentary flashes many of her personal writings on screen. Pause and read them. They reveal her true voice—which is often much harsher than her TV persona.
- Compare it to The Vow or other Netflix docs. Notice how this one avoids the "victim" narrative. Martha refuses to be a victim, and that changes the entire tone of the storytelling.
- Check out her response interviews. After watching, read her interview with The New York Times about why she disliked the ending. It provides a hilarious and insightful "Director's Commentary" that Netflix didn't include.
The real power of this documentary is that it forces you to respect the hustle, even if you don't particularly like the person. Martha Stewart is a complicated figure, and this film finally gives her the complicated portrait she deserves. It’s a masterclass in rebranding and resilience.
Before you start the movie, grab a glass of wine (Martha would recommend a 19 Crimes Martha’s Chard, obviously) and get ready for a version of the domestic goddess that is far less polished and far more interesting than the one we saw on daytime TV for decades. The story of Martha Stewart is ultimately a story about power—who gets it, how they keep it, and what they do when everyone tries to take it away. It turns out, if you're Martha Stewart, you just make a better version of whatever they took. That’s what makes it so good.
Next Steps for Enthusiasts:
- Explore the R.J. Cutler Filmography: If you enjoyed the editing style of this documentary, watch The September Issue (2009) or Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry (2021). Cutler specializes in profiling high-powered, perfectionist individuals and offers a similar "behind the curtain" look.
- Audit the "Martha Stewart Living" Archives: Go back and watch early episodes of her show on YouTube after finishing the documentary. You will see the tension and the "shark" mentality mentioned in the film in a completely new light.
- Fact-Check the Trial: For those interested in the legalities, read the original SEC filings from 2003 regarding the ImClone Systems stock trading. The documentary simplifies some of the financial jargon, but the actual court transcripts show just how close the case really was.
- Follow the Post-Release Feedback: Keep an eye on Martha Stewart's official Instagram. She has been active in responding to fan comments about the documentary, providing even more context (and sometimes more critiques) of the film's portrayal of her life.