Filmmaker Lian Lunson uses a 2005 Sydney tribute concert to Leonard Cohen as a home base for her relatively shallow examination of the best folk singer to slit your wrists to.
Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man (2006)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:74
Fresh:52
Rotten:22
Average Rating:6.6/10
Consensus: A moving, if somewhat uneven, look at the legendary singer-songwriter, I'm Your Man treats Cohen's body of work with the reverence it deserves.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for some sex-related material
Runtime: 1 hr 43 mins
Genre: Musical & Performing Arts
Theatrical Release:Jun 21, 2006 Limited
Box Office: $824,797
Synopsis: Leonard Cohen manages to garner fans from the unlikeliest of places despite his distinctly un-rock-&-roll appearance and a set of songs that veer closer to poetry than to their uneasy bedfellows in... Leonard Cohen manages to garner fans from the unlikeliest of places despite his distinctly un-rock-&-roll appearance and a set of songs that veer closer to poetry than to their uneasy bedfellows in the pantheon of popular music. But viewers looking for an in-depth analysis of the man behind some of the most deeply introspective music ever recorded should look elsewhere: LEONARD COHEN: I'M YOUR MAN contains precious little insight from Cohen himself. Instead, director Lian Lunson has pieced together a warm tribute to the Canadian singer, drawing on the words of his many celebrity fans while also sharing generous amounts of footage from a Cohen tribute concert staged in 2005. The concert was filmed in Australia, with the bulk of the celebrity testimonials coming from performers at the show. The eclectic array of artists taking part include Nick Cave, Pulp's Jarvis Cocker, Martha and Rufus Wainwright, and folk legend Linda Thompson, all of whom perform unique interpretations of Cohen-penned classics such as "I'm Your Man" (Cave) and "Chelsea Hotel #2" (Rufus Wainwright). Lunson intersperses the concert footage with interviews from the stars, the most vocal and effusive praise coming from the Edge and Bono from U2, who are seen backing Cohen on a rendition of "Tower of Song" as the movie closes. Cohen himself is also given some screen time in which he muses on a number of interesting topics, but Lunson's piece is mostly designed as a straight tribute to a man who has never sat easily in the contemporary music world, much to the delight of his fans. [More]
Starring: Leonard Cohen, U2, Rufus Wainwright, Nick Cave
Starring: Leonard Cohen, U2, Rufus Wainwright, Nick Cave, Jarvis Cocker, Antony, Martha Wainwright, Beth Orton, Julie Christensen, Handsome Family, Kate McGarrigle, Anne McGarrigle, Teddy Thompson, Perla Batalla, Hal Willner
Director: Lian Lunson
Director: Lian Lunson
Producer: Mel Gibson, Lian Lunson
Studio: Lions Gate Films
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Reviews for Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man
Fans of his poetry-like songs whose lyrics conjure imagery of his thoughts and experiences, will revel in this emotion and music-filled tribute.
Cohen is clearly a songwriter's songwriter, and the resulting movie brims with an infectious passion for the man's melodies and sardonic wit. Unfortunately, the performances are interspersed with interview footage that is much less captivating.
At various times poet, consort of beautiful women and Zen monk, his biog’s intriguing too, all of which makes this doc highly welcome, even if it’s at best a partial view.
A mixed bag of interviews and musical tribute concert performances that range from great to awful.
It's not a deep documentary. We learn precious little about the real man underneath his sharp-dressed pose.
The fact is, any Leonard Cohen documentary automatically risks inelegance by contrast to its subject’s artistic example. But here’s the flip side of that coin: Cohen is so good that even an untimely, mediocre movie about him... resonate[s].
Cohen fans -- myself included -- will leave the film's interviews wanting more insight. Moviegoers unfamiliar with Cohen's long career will wonder why he warrants gushing testimonials from U2's Bono.
Despite the missteps during takeoff and landing, the film does prove to be an engaging and beguiling journey with a true original.
The proof of Cohen's genius is in the music, and Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man drives that genius home with virtually every stanza.
Though a minor documentary and poorly filmed, there's still enough of the wordsmith's music to get over the mess.
Even if Cohen is your man, is this your movie? ... Despite Lunson's reverent efforts, I'm Your Man isn't The Last Waltz.
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