Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song

A two-hour exploration of a single song is an ambition premise for a documentary, but Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah has proved a transcendent hit. As a result, there are plenty of fans and artists who have covered it for writer-directors Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine to interview here for Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song. Likewise, Cohen's seven-decade career means that there is a wealth of archive footage of him being interviewed and performing live. Some of the film's most disarming moments involve Cohen's early years, as he initially struggles with the transition from poet to folk musician, then again as his U.S. label refuses to release the original version of the titular song. Even during the interview footage from the height of his popularity he maintains a thoughtful, level-headed presence, perhaps because his greatest success was years in the making.

Wisely, the documentary whips through the identikit cover versions of the song cranked out by interchangeable talent show contestants, focusing instead on how John Cale's and then Jeff Buckley's renditions brought Hallelujah back to life, with the former's version even making it onto the platinum-selling Shrek soundtrack. This is a narrow but dedicated tale, and one which shows the power of art to bring people from different backgrounds and generations together.