Why you can trust GamesRadar+
Monk, ladies’ man, writer... Who is Leonard Cohen? Gravel-voiced grumpus to some, godhead of song to others. Lian Lunson’s documentary digs under the skin of the legendary singer, mixing interviews with Cohen and famous fans with scenes from a joyous tribute concert. So, Nick Cave sleazes deliciously through ‘I’m Your Man’ and recalls feeling like “the coolest person” for listening to Cohen as a boy, Rufus Wainwright complements Len’s suits and camps up ‘Everybody Knows’, while U2’s chief windbag Bono offers humble eulogies to Cohen’s meticulous craftsmanship.
Cohen himself is modest and wry: he calls his novel Beautiful Losers “more of a sunstroke than a book”, agonises over turning a blowjob from Janis Joplin into song on ‘Chelsea Hotel No 2’ and talks about art and beauty like a Zen master. It’s a warm, touching portrait of a genius – and long overdue. Hallelujah.
The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine.