As a fan of Leonard Cohen's music, I'm very excited to see someone has finally made a film about/for him. Lian Lunson directs this documentary tribute to the Montreal-born poet and songwriter that features inspired performances of Cohen's songs by many artists heavily influenced by Cohen's work.
The performances include Rufus Wainwright performing Everybody Knows, Hallelujah, and an impassioned version of Chelsea Hotel #2; Nick Cave covering I'm Your Man; Martha Wainwright singing Betrayer, and more. Although I usually appreciate Leonard's versions of his own music more than any other artist's rendition, it's exciting to see this music brought to life, some of it decades after he wrote it. It's even more astonishing to discover how relevant and poignant his reflections are right here and now. Of special significance is a heartrending performance of If It Be Thy Will by a lesser known vocalist, Anthony. This one is worth the entire evening of music, trust me. These performances are all taken from a tribute concert, entitled Came So Far For Beauty, held in Australia at the Sydney Opera House in 2005.
Interlaced throughout the film with these spirited performances are the words of the man himself. A recluse, Leonard Cohen agreed to do both an interview for the film and a surprise performance of Tower of Song with U2 at a New York City night club. Throughout the movie Cohen discusses his life and the inspiration behind much of his work, from his early days, through the time he spent in the Chelsea Hotel in New York City, into his later years as a student in a Zen Monastery. He recites some of his most moving poetry and reveals some of the character that has made him so influential to so many artists and searchers in life throughout the years. The interview is intimate and respectful at the same time, allowing Cohen to divulge as he saw fit, in his own manner and authentic emotional state. As an introduction to Cohen's music, I would say the film is adequate, as an introduction to the man it is almost essential. Granted, an already sound appreciation for Leonard Cohen will greatly enhance the depth of what this gracefully directed film depicts, but I really don't think that it's necessary to be familiar with Leonard Cohen's work to truly enjoy this beautiful, fluid, and honest tribute to a very prolific, mysterious artist.
HAVE A GOOGLE ALERT FOR LEONARD COHEN AND YOUR REVIEW OF I'M YOUR MAN CAME THROUGH TODAY. WRITING TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOUR APPRECIATION FOR HIM, HIS WORDS AND MUSIC AND TO THANK YOU FOR WRITING SUCH A THOUGHTFUL AND WELL COMPOSED REVIEW OF THE FILM. UNTIL I SAW THE FILM, I SHARED YOUR PREFERENCE FOR LISTENING TO LEOARD SING HIS OWN SONGS. WATCHING THE PERFORMERS WAS A REVELATION . SINCE THEN, THANKS TO THE GOOGLE ALERT I HAVE DISCOVERED JEFF BUCKLEY'S COVER OF HALLELUJAH WHICH CAN BE WATCHED ON YOU TUBE WITH INTERSTING VIDEO. I DON'T THINK YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED. CHEERS PEG
As a fan of Leonard Cohen's music, I'm very excited to see someone has finally made a film about/for him. Lian Lunson directs this documentary tribute to the Montreal-born poet and songwriter that features inspired performances of Cohen's songs by many artists heavily influenced by Cohen's work. 
