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It was around 10:00 on a Friday morning. I got a text
message from my friend Helen asking if I wanted to meet
for some breakfast. Of course I said yes. We went to Johnny
Rockets which is exactly where we went the last time we
decided to have breakfast in Hoboken. This time we had
burgers since we got there just after 11:00 and lunch was
being served.
After our late burger breakfast, we decided to have a
couple of margaritas at East LA. As we sat and chatted
about how nice it was to have a day to just be lazy, Helen
began to tell me about this film. It was this documentary
called 'I'm Your Man' all about songwriter
Leonard Cohen. She said that supposedly he would in the
end tell us all the meaning of life. I was fascinated and
said I'd love to see it.
Now I've never really considered myself a fan of
Leonard Cohen. Oh don't get me wrong, I love what
I've heard, I just never really knew all that much
about him or his work. This is basically the result of
me not paying close attention to much of anything as I
grew up. Songs would penetrate the brain thru my ears,
but the details would pass right over head.
We headed in a bit early so we stopped for a couple more
cocktails at the White Horse Tavern (567 Hudson St, NYC).
Established in 1880 it's infamous as the spot where
Dylan Thomas drank himself to death. It's the perfect
place to kill some early afternoon time before going to
the movie. Some dude from Saturday Night Live was there.
I forget his name. In the meantime, Helen and I traded
some ex-boyfriend/ex-girlfriend horror stories.
We made our way to The Film Forum (209 West Houston St,
NYC) where the film was playing. 'I'm Your
Man' is not a biography about Leonard Cohen but a
magical tour thru his legend and the influence of his songs
on others. As such its interview segments with performers
and Cohen himself are filmed and edited beautifully. Equally
moving is the footage from a Cohen tribute concert in Australia.
Now I didn't know who this performer Antony was,
but his rendition of ''If It Be Your Will' was chillingly
haunting, moving most in the theater to tears. Other standouts
for me would be Nick Cave singing the title track 'I'm
Your Man' and of course Rufus Wainwright's
version of 'Alleluia'. Cohen himself said that
he feels the Wainwright family is keeping his music alive.
The film ends with a touching moment in a seedy NYC burlesque
club with Cohen being backed up by U2. Listening to them
do 'Tower of Song' makes me wish I had paid
better attention all these years and moves me to do so
in the future. I left the theater with a renewed sense
of inspiration and hope in my own writing. As for the meaning
of life; Helen and I both were a bit baffled about that.
It seemed to come toward the end when he told the story
of a man who had questioned God and God replied that life
was a play. Every man is destined to play a part which
cannot be changed. Or something to that affect about fate.
I can't say I agree with it, but there it is. Either
way I found the movie very enlightening although Helen
wished there was more actual biographical facts about the
man himself.
We discussed this at some length while having one final
drink back in Hoboken at Louise & Jerry's. We
called it an 'evening cap' since it was not
even 7:30 yet. But after such a long day, we walked out
of the bar feeling as though we'd been out all night.
I guess in a way we had been, only in the daylight.
See Also:
 Leonard
Cohen 'I'm Your Man'
The
Film Forum
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