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

I have to admit I got a little peed off with all the late comers in this film telling us where it's at.

I've been into Leonard Cohen since 1968.  A friend of mine introduced me to him by lending me his first album - Songs of Leonard Cohen.   Since then I have bought each official album as it has come out.  So to listen to the "artists" in this film who first discovered Leonard Cohen this century, and only through the song Hallelujah, is a bit wearying.  Especially when they are so happy to share their insight and expert opinion, gleaned from a couple of years of familiarity with his work.

Hallelujah is the song that brought Cohen the fame and admiration that was long overdue. A song that nearly everyone in the world is now familiar with- even if they have only seen Shrek. How it became so famous is worthy of a documentary, and to be honest this is quite a good one, albeit suffering a little from a few eager spokespeople we could do without. 

I'm your man

 Despite being hacked and fucked over by a million "singers" the song Hallelujah remains a masterpiece.  Such a towering work, it can even withstand the never ending blasphemy it is subjected to.  Fortunately we are only exposed to some of the examples.   Please, anyone else, we don't need your version.  We really don't. No more interpretations of Hallelujah please!  Go write your own masterpiece.

Happily the documentary has a lot more to offer than that one song and the opinions of the many that have decided to "have a go" at it themselves.  Similar to Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love from 2019, this is an excellent biography of Leonard Cohen himself offering up a lot of footage and interviews with Cohen along with people that knew him personally. It also reminds us of the many other beautiful songs that Cohen has written.