Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song

Name: Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song
Genre: Biography, Music, Documentary
Released: July 1, 2022
Duration: 118 min
Rating: 70
Cast: Adrienne Clarkson, Brandi Carlile, Clive Davis, Eric Church, Jeff Buckley

2022

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Generally favorable reviews based on 16 Critic Reviews

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Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song: Origins

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Movie Details & Credits

Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: July 1, 2022 | PG-13

Starring: Adrienne Clarkson, Brandi Carlile, Clive Davis, Eric Church, Jeff Buckley, John Cale, Judy Collins, Leonard Cohen, Nancy Bacal, Steve Berkowitz

Summary: Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song is a definitive exploration of singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen as seen through the prism of his internationally renowned hymn, Hallelujah. This feature-length documentary weaves together three creative strands: The songwriter and his times. The song’s dramatic journey from record label reject toHallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song is a definitive exploration of singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen as seen through the prism of his internationally renowned hymn, Hallelujah. This feature-length documentary weaves together three creative strands: The songwriter and his times. The song’s dramatic journey from record label reject to chart-topping hit. And moving testimonies from major recording artists for whom Hallelujah has become a personal touchstone. Approved for production by Leonard Cohen just before his 80th birthday in 2014, the film accesses a wealth of never-before-seen archival materials from the Cohen Trust including Cohen’s personal notebooks, journals and photographs, performance footage and extremely rare audio recordings and interviews. … Expand

Director: Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine

Genre(s): Biography, Music, Documentary

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 118 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Kim Hughes

Jul 12, 2022

Filmmakers Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine, inspired by the Alan Light’s book The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley & the Unlikely Ascent of Hallelujah, leave almost no stone unturned in their quest to examine the enduring appeal of “Hallelujah” across the years and mediums. Read full review

A.O. Scott

Jun 30, 2022

The documentary’s account of the song’s fate, indebted to Alan Light’s book “The Holy or the Broken,” is a fascinating study in the mechanics and metaphysics of pop-culture memory. Read full review

Steve Pond

Sep 14, 2021

Does the film explain “Hallelujah?” Of course not – the song stubbornly resists explanation, because it’s so many different things and because there’s a beautiful mystery at its heart. Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song is smart enough to embrace that mystery and that beauty, and to know that there’s far more to Cohen than can be summed up in four, or seven, or even 150 verses. Read full review

Sarah Jane

Jul 20, 2022

In Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song, it feels like two different docs were threaded together. As interesting as I found it, the film was trying to focus on two parts of a story when it needed to be just one. Read full review

Ann Hornaday

Jul 7, 2022

What turns out to be the most moving and meaningful thing about the film isn’t the song at its center, but the work ethic of a man who might have disappeared from the public eye for years at a time but never stopped sweating every word. Read full review

Wendy Ide

Sep 14, 2021

This is filmmaking which echoes Cohen’s music style – it’s contemplative, searching and stripped back, but it can also be somewhat navel gazing, ponderous and very slow. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Simon Abrams

Jul 1, 2022

A lot of substantial or just different material might have enriched this documentary’s tidy fall-and-rise story. Read full review

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rannynm

Jul 12, 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 immersiveThis 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. By Zoe C., KIDS FIRST!… Expand

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