Paul McCartney documentary explores his struggle to escape The Beatles’ shadow

A new documentary about Paul McCartney revisits one of the most turbulent chapters of his life — the years after The Beatles broke up — and frames the 1970s as a decade defined by reinvention, grief and relentless creativity.

“Man on the Run,” directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville, begins streaming on Prime Video on Feb. 27. The nearly two-hour film traces McCartney’s evolution from global pop icon to a musician searching for identity beyond the band that changed music forever.

Neville structures the documentary between two life-altering events: the Beatles’ breakup in 1970 and the 1980 murder of John Lennon. In between lies a decade where McCartney retreated, regrouped and rebuilt.

After the Beatles dissolved, McCartney withdrew to his farm in Scotland with wife Linda McCartney. Battling depression and stung by critics who questioned his post-Beatles work, he released his stripped-down solo debut, McCartney, in April 1970 the same month he publicly announced his departure from the band.The documentary portrays this period not as a fall from grace, but as a reset. Home videos show McCartney writing songs alone, tinkering with melodies and leaning on Linda’s steady presence. Their partnership becomes central to the film’s emotional arc.

Soon, the couple formed Wings, a band that would become a commercial powerhouse. Despite lineup changes and skepticism from fans who doubted Linda’s musicianship, Wings delivered major hits including “My Love,” “Live and Let Die,” “Listen to What the Man Said” and “Silly Love Songs.” The 1973 album Band on the Run marked a turning point, reestablishing McCartney as a chart-dominating force.

Neville argues that the 1970s were defined by McCartney “trying to escape the shadow of the Beatles” a shadow he suggests was impossible to outrun.

“Man on the Run” features new interviews with McCartney, now 83, along with daughters Stella and Mary McCartney and Sean Ono Lennon. Archival interviews with Linda McCartney and former Wings members add texture.One standout revelation involves a previously untold story of McCartney nearly drowning in Hawaii a moment Neville said felt like “striking gold.” The film also explores McCartney’s private reaction to Lennon’s death. Publicly, his brief comment “It’s a drag” was criticized as cold. Through family recollections, the documentary reveals the shock and grief beneath that restrained response.

Notably, Neville chose not to show modern-day interviews on camera. Instead, voices play over archival footage, creating an immersive, present-tense experience. Handmade stop-motion animations further reflect McCartney’s DIY ethos of the era, when he embraced home recording and lo-fi production.

At its core, the film reframes McCartney’s 1970s not as a postscript to Beatlemania but as a second act driven by artistic survival. His marriage to Linda, their move to Scotland and the formation of Wings become symbols of grounding in the face of unprecedented fame.

“Man on the Run,” directed by Morgan Neville, chronicles Paul McCartney’s life after the Beatles’ breakup, focusing on his retreat to Scotland, the formation of Wings and his struggle to step out of the Beatles’ shadow. Featuring new interviews and rare archival footage, the documentary streams on Prime Video beginning Feb. 27.

“Man on the Run” ultimately presents two intertwined love stories Paul and Linda, and Paul and John while examining how an artist navigates life after cultural dominance.