Movie Review: One to One – John & Yoko
One-liner: An eclectic, intimate and often fragmented, fly-on-the-wall biographical music documentary.
One to One: John & Yoko arrives on the scene less as a conventional documentary and more as a meticulously curated excavation of a pivotal, albeit narrow, slice of the lives of two of the 20th century’s most iconic figures. The biographical and historical music documentary delves into the world of John Lennon and Yoko Ono during their influential period in New York’s Greenwich Village in the early 1970s.
A turbulent political era during the Vietnam War amid much social change, it centres on Lennon’s only full-length concert performance after leaving The Beatles – the 1972 One to One benefit concert at Madison Square Garden. A primary focus for the documentary, it orbits around the concert, staged with the noble aim of raising awareness and funds for children with special needs at the infamous Willowbrook hospital.
The film truly speaks to the enduring spirit of these peace-loving activists, who, in their heyday, wielded considerable political sway. An eclectic documentary from directors Kevin Macdonald and Sam Rice-Edwards, it deftly stitches together restored footage, home movies and unseen archives from the era, culminating in what effectively feels like a retro television viewing experience.
John Lennon, as we know, was rather fond of watching television, and this documentary remarkably captures that very “channel-hopping” sensation. Zooming in on the life and times, it ventures seamlessly from candid footage of Lennon and Ono to vibrant concert performances, and even to minimalistic recreations of telephone conversations.
Still life.
Taking a remarkably narrow focus on this curious period, the film equally splits its attention between Lennon and Ono as they grapple with the nitty-gritty of staging this pivotal concert, all while striving to create an experiential feel. In terms of immersing the viewer in their world, it’s evident that a great deal of painstaking effort was poured into assembling this film with newly remixed music by their son, Sean Ono Lennon. Transitioning from fairly trivial details concerning song choices and performance capabilities to the high-minded motivations around the politics of the time and what would, or would not, be tolerated.
One to One: John & Yoko is a comprehensive, if somewhat niche, documentary. The film possesses a raw intimacy, genuinely giving you the sensation of being a fly on the wall, privy to private phone conversations and offering a front-row seat to the concert itself, replete with never-before-seen footage and unique insights. Unfortunately, this very channel-hopping effect, while conceptually intriguing, does inevitably take its toll in terms of creating an emotional distance between the unfolding story and the audience. There’s a peculiar tension in the attempt to forge a hybrid film; the concert film genre seems to push off against the biographical film genre. While they assist one another, they don’t always service the overall vision as cohesively as they perhaps could have.
One to One: John & Yoko remains a fascinating documentary. It deftly explores some of the finer nuances of the Lennon-Ono dynamic, offering genuine pearls of insight into their collaborative spirit and the intricate counter-culture politics of the day.
While it may not be deemed essential viewing for the casual observer, for those with a vested interest in the labyrinthine lives of these cultural titans, it certainly captures a unique and often compelling historical snapshot. It’s a film that demands your attention, even if it occasionally keeps you at arm’s length.
The bottom line: Niche
