Cannes Review: Steven Soderbergh's John Lennon: The Last Interview is a Light, Unnecessary Documentary

      "We believe this is just the beginning now, you see? It feels like nothing happened before today." –– John Lennon

      It's odd that Yoko Ono isn't included in the title of John Lennon: The Last Interview, especially since she's part of the dialogue. However, I guess they couldn't use "The Last Interview" if she were referenced that way. Nonetheless, Steven Soderbergh's new documentary revolves around a 1980 radio conversation with the legendary couple, discussing their relationship and anticipating the release of their first album together in five years: Double Fantasy. This was their only interview for that album.

      The discussion took place at The Dakota, the iconic co-op located on West 72nd Street near Central Park, where they resided, just moments after an Annie Leibovitz photoshoot in their home. David Geffen, who represented John and Yoko, arranged the extended discussion with three journalists from KFRC San Francisco. While their verbal contributions provide solid context to the film, their onscreen presence in interviews feels akin to being trapped at a party with someone eager to regale you with a celebrity anecdote you never asked for.

      The conversation largely focuses on John’s shift from his rockstar lifestyle in the early '70s to his aspiration to be a devoted father, family man, and loving husband—attributes that the couple agrees had become a rarity, if not a source of embarrassment, in the culture of married life during the 1970s. Yoko goes as far as to label John "courageous" for his open affection for her and his commitment to fatherhood. The interview serves as a near-complete oral history of John and Yoko’s relationship, particularly from 1973 to 1980, a time when John struggled and learned to embrace accountability as a man among women.

      They discuss how it took 18 months for them to first become physical because John was unfamiliar with being "with a woman who demanded equal rights from the beginning." They openly recount how Yoko had to evict him from their home for being "macho," as she terms it, and misogynistic back in 1973. John thought it was great to finally experience life as a bachelor, something his consecutive marriages had deprived him of during his time with the Beatles.

      Unfortunately, he describes that period as the most miserable of his life. ("I needed her more than she needed me, and I had always believed it was the opposite.") After years of unfulfilling casual encounters, he realized the emptiness of having no one to love or care for him until he returned to Yoko, who was open to reconciling if he adjusted his views on their relationship—a change John was eager to embrace.

      They also touch upon the evolution of music, transitioning from the golden oldies to 1960s rock 'n' roll, disco, and new wave, with John expressing his admiration for each genre and discussing how they influence contemporary musicians, regardless of current trends. He recalls his excitement upon hearing The B-52s' "Rock Lobster" for the first time, exclaiming, "That’s Yoko!" They reflect on the five years of not making music prior to their album—what once defined their lives had become mere decoration. “I hadn’t touched my guitar off the wall from behind our bed in five years.”

      Both John and Yoko are candid in the interview—kind and open while sharing insights into their personal and professional lives. At one point, John describes a typical day with Yoko and their son Sean, primarily consisting of him being a stay-at-home dad while Yoko worked diligently in the office downstairs, occasionally dropping by for coffee if he had a moment between her many international calls. John is as lively as ever, exuding a sense of humor that complements the seriousness of their discussion.

      He expresses profound love for Sean and a strong enthusiasm for being involved in his upbringing, a sentiment he felt more empowered to express after Burt Reynolds, a prominent figure of the 1970s, publicly embraced monogamy and fatherhood in a widely covered TV interview. John refrains from letting Sean watch PBS not because of a preference for the more popular cartoons but because he wants to shield him from commercials promoting sugary products that persuade children they need them. The way John talks about Sean amplifies the tragedy of his impending death, as he clearly had many good years ahead as a musician, father, and husband.

      Fortunately, Soderbergh and his team secured the rights to Beatles and John/Yoko music, resulting in nearly all 100 minutes of this engaging documentary being brimming with great tracks, including selections from Double Fantasy. As Yoko states, the album aimed to unite men and women, particularly those in committed relationships. “We want to connect with each other, embrace one another, and become human again.” For them, the focus was on achieving a genuine understanding rather than projecting their issues onto one another