Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man

Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man ****

Wow. "Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man" is one of the best music films that I've ever seen, and that is probably because it's by one of the best musicans of our time. Leonard Cohen has the power to make every song that he writes so beautiful, and poetic, and lyrical. I have yet to hear a Cohen song that hasn't taken my breath away. And all of that is reflected in this great documentary, not about the man 100 percent, but about his music.

In January 2005, a whole group of musicans gathered in Sydney for the "Came So Far For Beauty" show, where they trubuted the great Leonard Cohen. They included Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright, his sister Martha, The Handsome Family, Jarvis Cocker, Teddy Thompson, and Joan Wasser, who all provide their own rendition of their favorite Cohen song. They include "Hellejueh," "Sisters of Mercy" "Everybody Knows," and of course, "I'm Your Man." Incutted with the songs are interviews with Cohen himself, with only his head taking up the screen, as he provides us with some sort of insight. I want everybody to watch the way that Cohen talks. He chooses his words so carefully, and so precisely, that is is obviously the same voice that is writing the songs. Cohen admits to taking years to write certain songs. He would spend days writing one line of a song, just waiting and hunting around for the perfect rhyme for the lyric. And he does talk slowly. He searches around for the word that he wants to use. He obviously has such a love for words, that he doesn't want to waste any at all. And with the songs that he's written, he hasn't.

It is an absolute joy to watch. The music is captivating, as his whenever Cohen speaks. I was literally in a trance the entire time, just enjoying myself. Hearing his thoughts about himself really stay with you. One line, regarding his reputation as a ladies man,compares the way people talk about him and women, to the fact that he has spent 100,000 nights alone. Some of the visuals were well done also. On occasion, the screen would be covered with red beads, against a black backround, much like in the films poster. It would be accompanied by a slow, whistling-like music, which was great in establishing the calm tone of the interviews, and of Cohen's character. It fits the peaceful moments. My only criticism was that sometimes, director Lian Lunson would make Cohen out to be some sort of godly figure. I could have lived without many of the slow motion shots of Cohen watching the music, or smiling. I also could have lived without the repetition. There would be times where, to the beat of his own music, Cohen would say a line, and Lunson would have it repeated three times before the sentence was finished. It got pretentious, and almost irratating. But regardless of Lunson's full of himself attitude, I'm giving the film a perfect four. It really is a fantastic piece of work, and 100 percent enjoyable. Try not to let Lunson's sick love for Cohen get in the way of two hours of great music, and great interviews. Do not go in if you are:

a) Not a fan of Leonard Cohen. You may love documentaries, but there is Cohen music constantly playing, and if you don't like it, you'll just find it a tedious experience.
b) Expecting to hear him play himself. The film is bookended with a vocal preformance in the beginning, and a full preformance with him and U2 at the end. The rest are covers by musicans who I have both heard of and have not, but everyone of them is pitch perfect. Cohen's beautiful lyrics work no matter who is playing them.

"Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man" is a great music film. I don't know which is better. Hearing the beautiful poetry of Cohen, or hearing the wonderful folk music of "A Prairie Home Companion." This is the music we should be listening to, and not whatever them "youngins" hear nowadays. One of your best bets this summer!