Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man

Name: Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man
Genre: Biography, Music, Documentary
Released: June 21, 2006
Duration: 105 min
Rating: 68
Cast: Leonard Cohen, Rufus Wainwright

2006

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Generally favorable reviews based on 27 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 12 Ratings

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7.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 12 Ratings

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Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man

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Movie Details & Credits

Lions Gate Films | Release Date: June 21, 2006 | PG-13

Starring: Leonard Cohen, Rufus Wainwright

Summary: Since bursting onto the scene in 1967, Leonard Cohen has inspired generations with his unique personality and haunting music, becoming one of the most original and enduring artists to emerge from the 1960s. Now, Lions Gate is proud to celebrate Cohen's legacy with director Lian Lunson's film, an intimate look at the songs, poetry and lifeSince bursting onto the scene in 1967, Leonard Cohen has inspired generations with his unique personality and haunting music, becoming one of the most original and enduring artists to emerge from the 1960s. Now, Lions Gate is proud to celebrate Cohen's legacy with director Lian Lunson's film, an intimate look at the songs, poetry and life of one of music's most celebrated and influential troubadours. (Lions Gate Films)… Expand

Director: Lian Lunson

Genre(s): Biography, Music, Documentary

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 105 min

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Critic Reviews

Michael Sragow

The only thing that tops Cave here is Cohen himself at the end, singing "Tower of Song" with U2. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Ken Fox

The accolades are typically gushing - Bono likens Cohen to Byron and Shelley. Read full review

Shawn Levy

If there's a calmer, more self-collected star out there, then he or she has hidden the fact pretty well. Read full review

Michael Phillips

I'm Your Man has at its spiritual center a troubadour with a distinctive, cagey mellowness about him. Read full review

Mark Bell

The performances in the film are soul-saving. Read full review

Rick Groen

The documentary seeks only to make a joyful noise, and is sometimes laboured in the love it so keenly wants to express. Then again, as Leonard would be the first to concede, there are worse sins than flawed worship. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Torturously dull. Read full review

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User Reviews

PhilR.

Jul 9, 2006

if you're a fan this is a must see!! superb performances and great leonard clips of his life. very, very well done. i had a big smile on my face throughout.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

MaryB.

Jul 10, 2006

Amazing movie ..Don't miss it.

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AmaC.

Jul 27, 2006

Big smile on face here too! - Tears too. The Leonard Cohen who comes across as a wry 71-year-old fully at peace with not taking himself seriously is MY man.... U2, Nick Cave, Rufus, Antony, Cocker and the others are passionate, humble and sincereand magnificent overall. The female voices Big smile on face here too! - Tears too. The Leonard Cohen who comes across as a wry 71-year-old fully at peace with not taking himself seriously is MY man.... U2, Nick Cave, Rufus, Antony, Cocker and the others are passionate, humble and sincereand magnificent overall. The female voices and passion out of this world. whatever the sour grapes (& political??) critics say, this is an important documentary for those of us with a soul and a heart. It should rate much higher with the critics...but who believes them anyway!… Expand

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KenR

Feb 26, 2019

This coverage seems to be made up of footage from one or more Leonard Cohen tribute concerts of 2005 at the Sydney Opera House – a line-up of various international artists is shown performing a selection of his songs. Dispersed throughout the concert is added personal interview footage andThis coverage seems to be made up of footage from one or more Leonard Cohen tribute concerts of 2005 at the Sydney Opera House – a line-up of various international artists is shown performing a selection of his songs. Dispersed throughout the concert is added personal interview footage and clips featuring Leonard performing with some universally mainstream artists. This mix of images is not always as successful as intended - with some of it actually looking rather cheap, especially for a tribute to Leonard Cohen. The most effective added song clip consists of Mr Cohen giving a haunting and perhaps prophetic rendition of “Tower Of Song” – for this performance he is accompanied by none other than U2 and the Edge. These megastar musicians are clearly in awe of the privilege to perform with their legendary hero. Some of the concert camerawork is at times a little shoddy and not all of the chosen artists seem altogether right for certain songs but, this of course is personal and will vary for each viewer. Much of Mr Cohen’s work needs explaining and the interviews unfortunately give little away about some of the hidden meaning – in fact, its clear Mr Cohen has chosen to disclose very little about his inner feelings. Leonard claims he’s not a nostalgic man and has no regrets about past relationships, yet his music constantly speaks of brokenness.

Interviews with various musos all tend to relate how Leonard’s songs have helped them navigate through a range of dark life experiences, and to ease the pain of many personal situations. Was he simply a gifted storyteller/poet/prophet or was it from a deeper driven force? His classic song from The Future ‘Anthem’ tells us; “There’s a Crack in the Universe” (that’s how the ‘light’ gets in) strongly suggests a man seeking major social justice. Much about Mr Cohen seems to point to a soul in search of itself and a longing for completeness that perhaps was never found. Some of these searches involved Eastern or Japanese Gurus - all of which he personally broke-off as never quite working for him. He also looked at the influences of the Kabbalah school of thought of Judaism. Maybe he, like many others, did not want to admit to anything like his own incompleteness? Or simply knew that the enigma that surrounds his music and personality - was adding to his popularity – a mix of both I dare suggest (?)

The artists who commit a huge amount of interpretive emotion to several of his songs are namely London born: Teddy Thompson performing “Tonight Will Be Fine” with the sad follow-on lyrics, suggesting that this, will be so, at least...’for a while’. Thompson’s voice has the necessary cry to carry this sentiment perfectly. The DVD extras include Teddy’s equally emotional rehearsal for this fine song. Curious English singer; Anthony, also hits the right note with her powerful version of “If It Be Your Will” making it an affecting experience. Canadians Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Martha Wainwright and English born Jarvis Cocker give equally evocative performances to their allotted (?) songs. Many others should please followers of Leonard’s enigmatic songs and music – though, perhaps, none quite ‘make it’ as do the originals (?) – Again, this will be personal for each viewer.… Expand

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[Anonymous]

Dec 7, 2006

I am a Cohen fan, but this film embarrassing. I am not sure what the director was trying to do, but she failed miserably (what was the deal with the random waitress with the red sparkling dress??). Bono, the Edge and company get their greasy finger in this one too. Aside from a few good I am a Cohen fan, but this film embarrassing. I am not sure what the director was trying to do, but she failed miserably (what was the deal with the random waitress with the red sparkling dress??). Bono, the Edge and company get their greasy finger in this one too. Aside from a few good performances this film offers not but frustration to Cohen fans. Save your money and go listen to 'Songs of Love & Hate', or read 'Parasites of Heaven.'… Expand

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Wolfiefish

Sep 15, 2006

I'm not a major fan, but I do own 2 Cohen cd's and think that he is a great song writer. I had my reservations about seeing this film, thinking it might be a dull affair. So I decided to check out the critics, and more importantly, the user reviews. I became interested after such I'm not a major fan, but I do own 2 Cohen cd's and think that he is a great song writer. I had my reservations about seeing this film, thinking it might be a dull affair. So I decided to check out the critics, and more importantly, the user reviews. I became interested after such positive comments and decided to go and see it. Metacritic! You let me down! I cannot believe there were no real bad reviews! This film stinks. It should have been called Leonard Cohens works get butchered in the style of a pub singer. (Nick Cave). Only Jarvis Cocker held his own on stage, and everyone else looked and sounded second rate. Maybe it's just my taste in music, but after I got back home I had to put some Cohen on again just to remind me what it was that I liked about the guy in the first place. Ok, the interviews with Cohen were interesting, at times inaudiable, but the comments by the "So called musicians" (Bono and the Edge) made me want to throw up. I fell asleep twice through this movie, and it was in an open air cinema. Don't see the film. Instead buy a bottle of wine, invite friends over and have a Cohen night in with your cd collection.… Expand

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AdamM.

Nov 16, 2006

I consider myself a Leonard Cohen fan, but this film was tedious at best. I mean no disrespect to artists like Teddy Thompson, Martha Wainwright and Beth Orton, but surely they could have done better for a tribute concert to one of the greatest songwriters of all-time. But the fact that I consider myself a Leonard Cohen fan, but this film was tedious at best. I mean no disrespect to artists like Teddy Thompson, Martha Wainwright and Beth Orton, but surely they could have done better for a tribute concert to one of the greatest songwriters of all-time. But the fact that this tribute concert is the centrepeice of the film is part of the problem; I think a more effective documentary would have focused on interviews with Cohen interspersed with his own definitive performances of his own songs.… Expand

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