One to One : John And Yoko – REVIEW

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In a time when many pop stars associate themselves with causes primarily for public relations benefits, it’s invigorating to witness John Lennon’s unwavering commitment to the causes he genuinely cared about. During the early 1970s, particularly following The Beatles’ breakup, Lennon had numerous commitments on his plate. One of these was the “One to One” concert, a poignant event inspired by a heart-wrenching and unsettling TV documentary that he and Yoko watched about Willowbrook State School. In this institution, hundreds of children with mental and physical disabilities were kept in deplorable, understaffed conditions, with each child receiving only three minutes to be fed.

This documentary, jointly directed by Sam Rice–Edwards and Academy Award winner Kevin MacDonald, delves into an obscure and almost forgotten chapter in John Lennon’s life. At that time, charity records and concerts were not yet mainstream, with events like Live Aid still decades away. Back then, many popstars preferred to participate in less-than-stellar charity performances rather than actually donate money. However, for Lennon at this stage of his life, money was of little importance.

He had found his soulmate in Yoko Ono, and the documentary makes it clear that he was deeply in love with her. He had sold his UK mansion and its vast grounds, opting to live modestly in a small New York loft apartment, much like a student. Lennon also became associated with several left-wing activists and agitators, including Jerry Rubin, Allen Ginsberg, and others who seemed as if they had just stepped out of a hair salon during a fire alarm.

The editing style, reminiscent of expressionism, swiftly transports the viewer through various periods – from TV ads to Vietnam demonstrations, all the way to the Watergate scandal unfolding around President Nixon. Similar to Billy Joel’s song ‘We didn’t start the fire,’ it presents a rapid-fire sequence of events and cultural touchpoints that underscore the tumultuous times in which John and Yoko found themselves immersed. However, this documentary doesn’t lack humor – from activists protesting the use of toilet paper to a recurring gag about procuring live flies for one of Yoko’s art projects. And let’s not forget Yoko performing her music, which at times resembles an overactive slaughterhouse.

Amidst this concert, we find reminders that some of Lennon’s finest work came from his solo career. For instance, he performed “Instant Karma,” which served as a soundtrack to distressing news clips of the Vietnam War being heavily bombed. Later, Lennon performed “Mother,” a deeply moving and personal song. Despite his arrogance, Lennon’s dedication to Yoko, often criticized unfairly, is evident in the performance of “One To One.” It seems that even doing a TV interview without Yoko by his side was impossible for him.

McDonald and Rice-Edwards have created an exceptional documentary, serving as a poignant tribute to the incredible artist John Lennon, who sadly had his life cut short in his prime many years ago.

Here’s the One to One : John And Yoko trailer…..

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2025-04-08 02:23