User Reviews

I love John Lennon. I love The Beatles. I love allsorts of music so naturally I was interested in watching this documentary (what with being a SCOUSER like John! hehe) This documentary focuses on everything you wanna know about John Lennon. From his beginnings in Liverpool (cool!) to playing to millions all over the world and becoming a worshipped idol to millions of people). It focuses on the high points, the low points and everywhere in-between with interviews with key people who knew John the best such as his wife Cynthia Lennon, his sister and other family members along with various musicians who were inspired by John and The Beatles. An excellent look at the hysteria of a personal man who's songs pledged peace, love and happiness in the world over. WOW! 10/10

On one level I agree with ebolart's assessment of this film, but overall it is the most personal(oftentimes embarrassingly so)and informative of all the Beatles/Lennon documentaries. We have all heard Yoko's side of things for years and years. That we know already. It is unheard of until this film to hear Cynthia's input regarding John's love life...and his family's take on the effect of Yoko. The interviews with Mai Pang are amazing and revealing. OK, so in this film Yoko isn't allowed to defend herself. I don't think any lies were told about her, or she would have had her say in court...knowing her as we all do. The rest of the film is worth witnessing a little bitterness from his close friends and family. We all felt it during those years...but we(John's fans) were all very patient. I think it's time to hear the other side. The film is VERY well done and exceptionally informative.

This documentary about the life of John Lennon is a little interesting in its early parts and more or less slanderous in the latter ones. It's most interesting features may well be the interviews with relatives of Lennon, who provide insights into his childhood and Liverpool days. But as time passes and more and more of the documentary is about what a terrible controlling person Yoko Ono is supposed to be the stranger it gets. In the end a cousin of Lennon even tells a story about how the Ex Beatle had sent a letter to his British family telling them he would return home "to take care of his real family again", just days before his murder. It would have been interesting to delve deeper into the delusions of these people, but the film is supposed to be about Lennon, and so it ultimately fails. Not because of the very negative stance towards Yoko Ono, but because the woman Lennon spent the last 13 years of his life with doesn't even get a chance to tell her side of the story.

A one sided, very opinionated documentary. For the Beatles info watch the Anthology series, and i am sure there are more balanced and insightful films about Lennon's later career as well. Nothing to get excited about.

I enjoyed all these interviews and as the man who directed the film I am pleased that so many people enjoyed it. For those who thought it "one sided" I must say of course that it is true but there IS a reason.We asked Yoko to take part - of course we did - and initially it looked as if she would. But then she wanted total editorial control of the whole thing and did not want the Liverpool family involved. We refused to agree to that. So we went ahead without her. One result of that - which I am happy to say no one seems to have noticed - was that we were NOT allowed to use any of the material Yoko controls and that meant ALL and ANY filmed material of John actually singing! I think she thought that would prevent us from going ahead. So that is the reason that, although the film uses more than 20 of his songs, you never actually see him singing any of them. I do not blame her particularly but the other side of the story DID need to be told. I loved making the film