Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song (2021) User Reviews

Your faith was strong but you needed proof

[ferguson-6 · 8/10 · 1 July 2022]

Greetings again from the darkness. He's not an easy man to figure out. His many written and spoken words can be challenging to interpret, and his art comes in many forms: poems, novels, drawings, and songs. Leonard Cohen was an enigma, yet also a treasure trove of thought-provoking work crafted over fifty years. Collaborators for more than 25 years, documentarians Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine knew tackling Cohen as a subject would be too much, so by taking inspiration from Alan Light's book, "The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of 'Hallelujah'", they were able to approach him through his most recognizable and most oft-covered song, "Hallelujah." The result is a captivating two hours that will appeal to Leonard Cohen devotees and enlighten those new to his work.

We open on December 21, 2013 in Auckland, New Zealand. Leonard Cohen is on stage and sings the immediately recognizable first "secret chord" line of "Hallelujah." This would be his final live performance. Someone offers the description of LC as "a spiritual seeker", and that appears to have been the case most of his life. Perhaps there is no better evidence of this than his pursuit of writing lyrics to "Hallelujah." We see the dozens of notebooks filled with his handwritten lyrics. We know there are multiple versions of the song, and Leonard admits the song was never finished ... it was ever-evolving, same as the writer. Although Cohen passed away in 2016 and was not interviewed for this film, precious archival footage allows us to see him expressing his own thoughts alongside new and recorded interviews of those who knew him for so long.

The great Judy Collins tells of the time she encouraged Leonard to come on stage and sing his song "Suzanne" with her. It was 1966 and though to that point, he had been mostly a poet, he now immersed himself and his words into songwriting. In regards to his poetry, so many believe one must suffer to have anything of value to say; however, Leonard was born into a wealthy family, and he created reems of meaningful passages as a deep thinker and observer. Other terrific interviews come courtesy of music journalist "Ratso" Sloman (who also shared tapes of his own Leonard interviews with the filmmakers), long time back-up singer and co-writer Sharon Robinson, Cohen's former girlfriend and renowned photographer Dominique Isserman, lifelong friend and fellow Canadian Nancy Bacal, Canadian journalist and lifelong friend Adrienne Clarkson, and John Lissauer who first produced "Hallelujah" and also composed the score to this documentary.

The song itself took a journey worth exploring. Leonard initially worked on the lyrics for years. Once the song was recorded, it (and the entire album, 'Various Positions') was rejected by Columbia, the record label that had already paid for it. The album and song were finally released on a small independent label. Ultimately, Bob Dylan began performing the song in concert, and it was gradually adopted by other artists, and reached mainstream status when it was included in the animated hit movie, SHREK. How is that for an unusual journey for a song?

Even the SHREK saga wasn't straightforward. Rather than use Cohen's version of the song, the director chose the version sung by Rufus Wainwright, but then decided it didn't fit, and shifted to the John Cale version. As a final twist, it's Wainwright's version on the released movie soundtrack. It's not just the lyrics that have multiple versions. As of last count, more than 200 artists have their own version, with those of John Cale and Jeff Buckley being the most frequently listened to. Both get their due in this documentary, and it's quite moving to compare the different approaches ... one's mood must be the determining factor on which fits the moment, as it's impossible to say one is "better" than the other. We also hear from other artists who testify to the song's personal importance to them. And to reinforce the point of how the song has become part of the fabric of society, there is a montage of TV contestants singing their version in hopes of moving on to the next stage.

Although the filmmakers use "Hallelujah" as the structural force for this film, they expertly weave in Leonard Cohen's personal history throughout. They remind us that his early song "Suzanne" was written well before he met and married Suzanne Elrod. We hear a bit from the cringe-inducing partnership with producer Phil Spector for one album. The filmmakers highlight Cohen's 1993 decision to isolate at the Mount Baldy Zen Center through 1999, before returning 'back down the hill' to write more songs. It was in 2005 when Cohen discovered that his long time manager had bilked him out of his earnings and assets. This sent Leonard back on tour for the first time in 15 years ... he performed 379 shows over 5 years, thrilling his fans and introducing many new ones to his music.

There have been other documents focusing on Leonard Cohen, most notably, LEONARD COHEN: I'M YOUR MAN (2005), and MARIANNE & LEONARD: WORDS OF LOVE (2019). Both have their merits, yet neither capture the remarkable story of this 'spiritual seeker' as thoroughly as this one. He was an unusual and remarkable man who wrote, "I did my best. It wasn't much." Maybe the only false words he ever penned.

Opens in theaters beginning July 1, 2022.

Too Jewish?

[boblipton · 7/10 · 3 July 2022]

For those of you who are unaware, Leonard Cohen was a Jewish Canadian mystic poet. His concern was the apparent conflict between the sacred and the profane. One day he realized what he was writing might actually be songs, and so began a concert and recording career. The song in the title "Hallelujah" was a track on an album which his company refused to release -- in my opinion, Cohen's mixture of the sacred and the earthy in this song likely offended the equally Jewish head of the company so much it was not released in the US. Nonetheless, the song caught on over the decades.

As a Jew, I find nothing surprising in this. As Cohen notes in one of the later interviews included herein, Judaism makes you want to raise your fist and to shout hallelujah. To Christians, who believe in a benevolent G*d, this seems to be confusing; however Jews recognize that the world is G*d's creation just as much as the Torah. Which is why there are more than a hundred verses in Cohen's notebooks, with subjects ranging from angels to bondage.

Cohen wrote some other excellent songs, too.

Wonderful and touching portrait of a unique voice

[imseeg · 8/10 · 1 December 2022]

I am not a Leonard Cohen fan myself although I do love many of his songs, but even for the non fans this documentary could be worth the watch, because of the delightful, pleasant person that Leonard Cohen is as a humanbeing next to being gifted with a wonderful, unique voice and and an even bigger talent for writing songs that the most legendary, biggest musicians of this world have copied and praised.

With a particular attention to one song "Hallelujah" this documentary about the life of Leonard Cohen is an easy, pleasant watch, with many surprises for those who are not very familiar with his music.

What a voice. What terrific songs. What a man!

Captivating and Inspiring Documentary Showing The Origins And Evolution Of Leonard Cohen's Iconic Song "Hallelujah"

[rannynm · 10/10 · 13 July 2022]

This captivating documentary shows the origins and evolution of the iconic song "Hallelujah," written by poet, author, singer/songwriter and musician Leonard Cohen. A song that transcends generations, "Hallelujah" is more than music; it is a work of art and this film is an immersive exploration of this iconic song.

The documentary narrates how Cohen started his music career back in the '60's. Disappointed by his lack of success in the literary world, Cohen decided to explore a career in music, despite not intending to sing or play an instrument. In fact, Cohen didn't start writing songs until age 30. The narration in the film explores his early success in music and other aspects of his life, including his Jewish roots, politics, relationships and more. He was a spiritual seeker and his oeuvre constantly gravitated around spirituality. "Hallelujah," his most renowned song, was released in 1984. The song is a moment of realization-a revelation-about love and loss, and it touches the listener in so many different ways. The song is so larger-than-life it's almost its own person, and we see how it has become an anthem.

As of today, there are over 300 cover versions of "Hallelujah." Originally 150-180 verses were written for "Hallelujah" until the perfect edition of the song was written. More popular versions have come from artists Eric Church, Jeff Buckley and John Cale. Through many different interviews, the documentary shows how most people know the song through Jeff Buckley and many thought he wrote it. It was really interesting to me to see how a lot of the film is devoted to Leonard's spirituality. One of my favorite clips was the 2009 Coachella concert where Cohen sang "Hallelujah," and you could really feel how moved and captivated the audience was. The visuals, the archived interviews and footage are all nicely arranged. I particularly enjoyed listening to the interviews with various artists, reporters and people that were close to Cohen and to witness the warmth that emanated from him. One I found very interesting was with Vicky Jenson, where she talks about how "Hallelujah" was used in the movie Shrek. Another was how singer Judy Collins remembers when she first met him how he didn't believe in his own music. Cohen's work was not always praised as some music labels rejected his albums, but his talent has proved to be immortal.

The message of the film is that music is cross-generational, and it establishes an emotional connection that unites people in a powerful way.

I give Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for audiences 12 to 18, plus adults. Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song opens in select theaters July 15, 2022.

In a world that cannot be made sense of

[dennis-11345 · 9/10 · 5 July 2022]

"You look around and you see a world that cannot be made sense of. You either raise your fist or you say hallelujah. I try to do both." Both, simultaneously! So Cohen's song "Hallelujah" arises from the same place as the poem "Thanks" by W. S. Merwin. The raised fist is the easy part.

This requires an almost incomprehensible level of compassion and appreciation. It's beyond emotion, mood, attitude. It's not a product of mind or will. Perhaps it only arrives with age, when mind and will are starting to appreciate their limits.

Back in the old days, I had thought Leonard Cohen was just one more phony. Or as we would say now: the songs, the voice, the attire: it's just performative, just brand-building. Well, I was wrong.

Two documentaries mashed together

[steiner-sam · 6/10 · 25 July 2022]

It's a documentary on the creative life of Leonard Cohen with particular emphasis on his signature song, "Hallelujah."

The film takes a mostly chronological approach beginning with Cohen's early musical career and follows through to his death. Many people who worked with Cohen, including various producers, are interviewed about Cohen. Some interviews with Cohen, especially by Larry Sloman, and with clips of Cohen in performance are included. A block in the third quarter of the film deals with the many performers who covered "Hallelujah."

This was a nagging disappointment, especially since I've like Leonard Cohen for a long time and included one of his songs in our 1969 wedding. This is really two incomplete documentaries mashed into one. The one that would have interested me the most would have been the spiritual journey of Leonard Cohen. The first half is mostly that, but then it obsesses over "Hallelujah" to the extent of including American Idol performers. The other documentary could have been on "Hallelujah" the song, which wouldn't have needed all of Cohen's background and could have better explored the sacred/secular/sexual aspects of that song.

Still, if you like Leonard Cohen and his music, you will gain some insight in seeing this film. I did, but wished it could have been so much better.

Beautifully done!

[JeffreyMC49 · 10/10 · 20 August 2022]

Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song left me in its spell, and Cohen's. The film has so may layers, it is uplifting and thought provoking. A beautifully crafted film.

Good, But a Little Long

[behai-62593 · 7/10 · 13 August 2022]

Cut 20 minutes and you've got a pretty good music doc.

The director clearly wanted to include all of the celebrity interviews, but they seemed kind of unnecessary and when stacked together, repetitive. Those are probably most of what you could cut.

Otherwise it's an enjoyable film with really cool archival footage.

Hallelujah indeed

[Horst_In_Translation · 8/10 · 23 November 2022]

"Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song" is a new or "new" documentary as this one premiered already back in 2021, but it took almost until 2023 for the film to reach Germany. I myself am a really big Leonard Cohen fan and what seeing him three times it was I think perform during the final years of his life meant to me I cannot put into words, so I went on one of the first occasions I could to give this film a watch. It was early afternoon during the week, so I was surprised that the room was really full. Positively surprised. On one occasion during the film Cohen says that his career will live on for quite some time after his life and he is certainly correct there. But let's stay with the basics first now: The two writers and directors are Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine and these two have not only been part of the industry since the 1980s, but they have also already collaborated already in the 1980s. Long and fruitful relationship. Not the most prolific though as they did not even make it to double-digit territory films since then, but still. Their work is then more about quality than quantity I assume and with this film here I would certainly agree. Music is apparently nothing they have elaborated on a lot in the past already, so a bit surprising to see them in charge here. The film runs for slightly under two hours, so it is a long watch, but not extremely long. The title tells nicely about the focus. It is basically a mix of Leonard Cohen's life (and career) and his song "Hallelujah", one of his most known, if not the most known number. We find out who else performed the song, how Cohen came up with it and simply why it is considered such a special number many years and decades after its creation and why it still inspires so many people nowadays in the 2020s. You see I gave this film a pretty high rating and I think it is deserving. I would still say that I prefer the other Leonard Cohen documentary that was released a while ago and I think there was focus on his life as a whole and also on the women (and it was quite a few) that were by his side and especially those that stayed by his side. There they had for example major focus on the songs "So Long, Marianne" and "Suzanne" and who the lyrics were about. But we talked about that documentary before and today we talk about this one here.

I must say I had goosebumps at the very start already when they show us the Hallelujah performance by Cohen and thus also the final moments of his touring career and I checked when I got home and saw that this was from Auckland in New Zealand. I was genuinely baffled to read the number of concerts he played in his last ten years. May he rest in peace. So yeah, for me it was a really lucky situation somehow that this evil woman stole all his money and that he was almost forced as a consequence to perform again. Probably thousands, more likely hundreds of thousands people will agree with me there that they could see him live. Of course, there is also focus on his years when he lived as a monk and focus on many, many other areas from his tumultuous life. I will not go totally into detail there, best is if you watch the film yourself. Instead, let's talk about "Hallelujah". The song. I was familiar with how many really, really adored the version from Jeff Buckley and I was also aware of his tragic fate. I myself am not too big on his version and I kinda support the theory that it was perhaps his untimely death that helped his rendition become such a triumph for many. I hope this does not sound too mean, but I mean he said it himself that he hopes Cohen will never listen to it. And yes, it sounds definitely odd when people say that somebody will perform "Buckley's song" there. Saying "Buckley's version" is already pretty edgy. Still, may Buckley also rest in peace. I really, really adored John Cale's version though. That one I did not know before watching this documentary, but it will certainly find its way onto my MP3 player.

As much as I liked the beginning of this documentary with Cohen performing in Auckland, as disappointed I was with the ending. Well, kinda disappointed. It included scenes from a tribute concert from shortly after Cohen's death in 2016. The one singer they showed us is k.d. Lang, another fairly famous musician from Canada, just like Cohen. She, however, does almost nothing for me at all and I am also not sure why she has her name written like this instead of using capital letters like everybody else does. I did not like her version one bit and I also do not like the other music I have heard from her. Disappointing way to end this movie, even if it may make sense chronologically somehow. Or I can say at least that the film does end nicely with the closing credits then when we hear Cohen perform the song "You Got Me Singing", a number I did not know before watching this film. One of his newer songs and I think he did not play it at any of the concerts where I saw him live. But now we are drifting a bit away again, so back to the film's core. We find out about other versions of Hallelujah that made a decent impact. There is a girl playing the tune on her violin. From Youtube apparently. There is a winner of "Britain's Got Talent" it was I think and her release of "Hallelujah" broke several records. There is even a reference to "Shrek". So you see that the song was really a big phenomenon. Still is. Also interesting to see how they removed some of its lyrics for "Shrek". They interviewed the woman who was in charge of the decision to include the song, remove some parts of it and also decide in the end which version would make it to the movie. She was not directly linked to Cohen and same is true for Glen Hansard, whose inclusion here surprised me, even if I love his Oscar-winning number, but there are many interviewees who are. Musicians and others. Judy Collins is maybe the most known. Her anecdote about the young and incredibly shy Leonard I heard before and it still feels intimate nonetheless. Sharon Robinson stood on the stage so many times with Leonard and worked with him for decades.

Add to that John Lissauer and Larry "Ratso" Sloman. Was it the latter about whom we find out that he loves to sleep until 11 a.m.? At least did back then, not sure what it is like today. Anyway, listening to him was quite fun, also and maybe at least partially because of the foul language as well. He seems quite a character anyway with all the stories he collected over the years of his writing career. You will listen to more musicians that have made an impact, even if they are not super famous (anymore). These would be Regina Spektor, Rufus Wainwright and Eric Church. You can check out the list yourself if you wanna know. I must say Eric Church's version I was also not too big on. What Cale did with it stays my number one comfortably ahead of the rest here. Also big respect to him because the song was really not a huge hit when he came up with his take there. By the way, Bob Dylan also gave it a try. Did not do too much for me either. Still props to him for seeing the potential of the song. It is really ridiculous how the the new boss of Columbia Records rejected Cohen back then and it nice to hear in an interview from much later that Cohen was happy to find a bit of revenge there with how many people ended up loving the song. One of them who definitely loved it, probably still loves it is Richard Belzer. And I love him, not just because of his L&O character, but also in general. Such an interesting character. Pretty cool to see him host a show with interviewees back in the day and he also seems/seemed to have decent humor. So many talents. If he gets his own documentary one day and I hope he will, I will definitely watch it too. Hopefully, he will stay with us for many years to come, even if he is kinda on the retired side now. At least in terms of (television) acting. Let me apologize for this little off-topic interruption, but well Belzer was part of this film too, so not 100% off-topic and he just deserves the praise in my opinion.

Now let us get back to this film though: It is nice to see it scored some awards attention at least from the critics and who knows, perhaps more will follow. I think maybe people who know Cohen and adore him less than I do will not like this film as much, but I think for the many people out there not familiar with him, especially the younger ones, this can make for a really good watch and introduction to Leonard Cohen's life and music and who knows perhaps they will also check out some of the gigantic body of work he came up with over his career. I already said that I liked to see the stage performances and there was one really cute moment that showed us how he left the stage presumably at the end of a concert and what stayed in the mind there was how he left it. Moving like a little boy, so full of joy. You could see what he meant when he said that the fact that he had to go on tour again also helped him get rid of some demons that piled up over they years or that is roughly how he described it. Of course, it must have been awesome for him to see how much he is still adored and appreciated and remembered by audiences all over the planet. There is also the inclusion and brief mention of the album "I'm Your Fan" (love the title as a reference to one of Cohen's most famous songs) that had many successful artists cover Leonard Cohen songs. For me the standout was probably the most known band included therein and that would be R. E. M. Fittingly, they also recorded one of my favorite Cohen songs and that is not (only) because said song has a connection with the city I originate from and have lived in almost my entire life. As for Leonard Cohen, I will not say that his voice has gigantic range, but he had awesome recognition value, was a really gifted poet and knew exactly what he had to do to succeed and I think thus fully deserved all his success. So does this documentary. See it!

Beautiful portrait of the master

[martinpersson97 · 10/10 · 8 March 2023]

Leonard Cohen is a name that need only be mentioned to invoke greatness. One of the best songwriter-poets of all time, rivaled only by perhaps Bob Dylan.

And this beautiful cinematic documentary does him justice, to say the least. Cohen's life and career is beautifully chronicled and his immensive songwriting process.

It's a very beautifully shot documentary, and the cinematography and editing is splendid.

Overall, one of the best films of 2022 and one that is definitely recommended for any fans of Leonard Cohen. It's just a beautiful piece of filmmaking and a beautiful portrait of a great man! May his legacy live on.

Superb insights

[ricovegas · 10/10 · 7 February 2023]

Having read Mr. Cohen's autobiography, I was quite aware of his life's journey, but, this doc was a welcome addition to the image I had of one of this centuries resplendent luminaries. To say Cohen was a genius is almost an understatement and this movie only reinforces my opinion. He was truly a once in a lifetime personality.

As slightly older Jew with a unique, unconventional voice who decides at 30 years old to become a rock singer and proceeds to write and perform some of the great songs of his generation, Cohen broke all of the conventions of the modern rock industry.

One of the things that surprised me was the times Cohen could be outright playful and his wicked sense of humor which stands in stark contrast to his outward appearance.

In the end, it was illuminating to see the evolution of one of the most iconic songs ever written.

On a personal note, as an amateur singer/songwriter, I learned that there is not enough tragedy and in my life for me to ever write music on his level (plus a lack of talent:)).

I watched this with my SO who knew very little about Leonard Cohen, but, she was completely enchanted by the man and his spiritual journey. Whether you are a fan or not, this movie will definitely make you think about your place and time on planet earth and that, in and of itself, is worth the time spent watching this film.

Deeply moving documentary

[jkblue · 10/10 · 13 July 2023]

This film, like Leonard Cohen himself, has many layers. It's about the creation and evolution of an extraordinary song which, depending on the version, is sacred and secular. It's about a poet, novelist, songwriter, performer, mystic, and magician. It's subtly about aging. It's about connecting with each other. It's a religious journey, a meditation, it's about prayer. The connective tissue is the song, Hallelujah, which is also deeply layered. Cohen was a truth-teller. He was a restless god-seeker. His music asked us to be the same.

The film doesn't gloss over aspects of his life, nor does it overplay the power this one song has to move people. Cohen brilliantly brought the mundane (secular) to sit beside the secular and mystical in this one piece of music. Everyone has a favorite version; mine has always been through the gruff, tortured voice of Cohen.

Great song and singer

[gortx · 1 June 2023]

When Leonard Cohen passed away in 2016, the first song that inevitably was mentioned about his career was "Hallelujah". Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine's documentary uses that famous hymnal to trace not only the history of that particular song, but Cohen's entire life and career.

The song was first recorded in 1984 but he had been in the process of writing it for at least five years, including, by his own count, going through some 150 verses (Cohen continued to re-write phrases and verses ever after)! "Hallelujah" made little impact upon release and it wasn't until first John Cale, and later, Jeff Buckley covered the tune got major attention.

The movie documents Buckley's version in such detail, that it sidetracks the main discussion for quite a spell. The digression is, unfortunately, a bit emblematic of the Doc as a whole. While the basics of Cohen's life (and this particular song) are adequately delved into, Geller and Goldfine never find a consistent narrative. Fortunately, there is enough quality archive footage along with contemporary interviews with those who knew him including long-time friend Larry Ratso Soloman and producer John Lissauer to flesh out some semblance of a story-line.

The concert footage allows Cohen to be seen and heard in his element over the decades. It's an irony that Cohen only had a Billboard charted single -- after he passed away. It, of course, was "Hallelujah."