Review: Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man

Leonard Cohan: I'm Your Man

Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man is a 2005 documentary that found its way to Amazon Prime Video recently. His music will never grow old or cease to incite wonder. This documentary is a good reminder of that.

Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man features mostly other artists singing Leonard Cohen’s songs with his band and backup singers. These are interspersed with him talking about his life and work. A series of annoying red lights take us from the concert footage to the conversations with Cohen himself and then back out to a concert performance again.

There were old photos and film clips from Cohen’s personal keepsakes. We also saw a lot of his art work.

Martha Wainwright in Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man
Martha Wainwright

The performers in the film were Martha Wainwright, Beth Orton, Jarvis Cocker, Rufus Wainwright, Nick Cave, Anohni, Linda Thompson, Teddy Thompson, Kate McGarrigle, Anna McGarrigle, The Handsome Family, and Bono.

I’m a huge fan of Perla Batalla. I’ve been to many of her concerts. Along with Julie Christensen, Perla Batalla sang backup for Leonard Cohen for many years. I confess, I was listening to her in the background as much as the other performers.

The two women, Julie Christensen and Perla Batalla, also had a solo turn in the film.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t listen to a Leonard Cohen song, no matter how many times I’ve heard it before, without feeling amazed and uplifted by his poetry.

Lian Lunson directed the film. I’m glad she framed the film around a group of singers other than Cohen performing his songs. However, his lyrics have such a distinctive cadence that almost anyone who tries to interpret one of his songs ends up sounding a lot like him, just in a higher register.

Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man poster

Have a look at the trailer.

Are you a fan of Leonard Cohen’s music? What’s your favorite song of his?


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