Movie Review: Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song
What We Liked
What We Didn't Like
The film Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song proffers the supposition that the multifaceted and layered career of the poet/singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen can be extrapolated by studying his enduring and internationally renowned composition “Hallelujah.” While there may be far more to explore about this remarkable man’s life than can be contained in one documentary, this piece by Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine does an extraordinary job in doing just that.
As a whole, the film chronicles Cohen’s song, “Hallelujah,” long (and dramatic) journey from rejection to international acclaim. The film also explores the many artists for which the song served as a sort of gauge for their own creative output or spirituality.
Artists like John Cale, Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright, Brandi Carlile, Eric Church, Judy Collins, Glen Hansard, Myles Kennedy, Sharon Robinson, and Regina Spektor are all allotted ample time to extol the virtues and nuances of Cohen’s composition, breathing extended new life into an already classic piece.
Directors Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine deliver an in-depth examination of the song in a film that is never too droll or fixated on one point of view to allow the breadth of Cohen’s work to be pushed aside for another tact. Goldfine’s editing too allows Gellar’s photography to exquisitely capture the spiritual journey that Cohen was on during his life that allowed the composition to constantly change and evolve.
While Cohen’s composition is certainly his best-known song, it has also come to be considered one of the greatest songs of all time (having been covered by over 300 artists since its initial release). The lovingly crafted and expertly told story of Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song can only add to that legacy with a film that does, in fact, bring a song to life.
Mike Tyrkus
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