Borrowed Time: Lennon’s Last Decade review – reverential reminiscence takes its time

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"Documentary 'Borrowed Time: Lennon’s Last Decade' Explores John Lennon’s Life in the 1970s"

Borrowed Time: Lennon’s Last Decade review – reverential reminiscence takes its time analysis cover image The Guardian 7.3
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Original Article Source: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/apr/30/borrowed-time-lennons-last-decade-review-reverential-reminiscence-takes-its-time
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AI Analysis Average Score: 7.3
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TruthLens AI Summary

The documentary film 'Borrowed Time: Lennon’s Last Decade' attempts to explore the life of John Lennon during the 1970s, a period marked by significant personal and professional developments following his tenure with The Beatles. Unlike other recent documentaries such as 'The Lost Weekend: A Love Story' and 'One to One: John & Yoko', this film has received criticism for its lengthy runtime and the tendency of some interviewees to share anecdotes that lack substance. The film spans Lennon's relocation to New York, his solo music career, conflicts with Paul McCartney, various protests, and his relationship with Yoko Ono. While it features contributions from notable figures in the music industry, including Ray Connolly and Philip Norman, the absence of close friends or significant individuals from Lennon’s life raises questions about the depth of insight provided by the film. The documentary's title suggests a sense of urgency regarding Lennon's life, but it struggles to clarify what 'borrowed time' truly means in this context.

Despite its shortcomings, the film does offer some intriguing revelations and moments that may resonate with dedicated Beatles fans. Unique anecdotes, such as Lennon's performance at a concert with Tom Jones and Peter Sellers, provide a glimpse into the lesser-known aspects of his life. Additionally, an interviewee recounts witnessing the aftermath of Lennon’s tragic murder, opting to paint the scene instead of taking a photograph, which adds a somber artistic touch to the narrative. The documentary also includes a poignant reaction from Paul McCartney during the news of Lennon’s death, showcasing the emotional impact of the loss. While the film may come off as overly reverential at times, it nonetheless presents an interesting, albeit uneven, exploration of a complex figure in music history, making it a worthy watch for those interested in John Lennon’s legacy.

TruthLens AI Analysis

The article provides a review of the film "Borrowed Time: Lennon’s Last Decade," which reflects on John Lennon's life after The Beatles. The review critiques the film for being lengthy and lacking depth while examining the various aspects of Lennon's life during the 1970s, including his music, personal relationships, and struggles.

Film’s Reception and Critical Analysis

The review characterizes the film as reverential but ultimately lacking in substance compared to other recent films about Lennon. The critique suggests that while the film covers significant events in Lennon's life, it fails to engage deeply with its subject matter or explore the implications of its title, which references the idea of Lennon being on "borrowed time." The reviewer indicates that many of the anecdotes shared by interviewees are not particularly insightful, which detracts from the overall impact of the documentary.

Intended Audience and Community Impact

The film seems to target audiences who have an established interest in John Lennon and The Beatles, appealing to Beatles enthusiasts and fans of rock history. However, the review implies that it may not resonate with a broader audience due to its reliance on anecdotes rather than critical insights. This could influence how viewers perceive the complexity of Lennon's life and legacy, potentially downplaying the significance of his struggles and achievements in a broader cultural context.

Potential Manipulation and Hidden Agendas

The review does not indicate any overt manipulation but raises questions about the film's depth and its portrayal of Lennon. By focusing on personal anecdotes and celebrity encounters, the film might be seen as oversimplifying Lennon’s complex life. This could lead audiences to form a more sentimental rather than critical view of Lennon, which may divert attention from more significant discussions about his impact and the societal issues he engaged with.

Overall Credibility and Trustworthiness

The film's credibility may be questioned based on the review's assessment of the quality of the anecdotes shared and the lack of substantial commentary from key figures in Lennon's life. The review suggests that the film may not provide a well-rounded understanding of Lennon, potentially diminishing its reliability as a historical account.

The article ultimately aims to inform readers about the film's shortcomings and encourage a more critical view of biographical portrayals of iconic figures. This contributes to a broader discourse on how media representations can shape public perceptions of cultural icons.

Unanalyzed Article Content

Source URL: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/apr/30/borrowed-time-lennons-last-decade-review-reverential-reminiscence-takes-its-time

We have recently seen a slew of intriguing movies about John Lennon’s post-Beatles existence:The Lost Weekend: A Love Story, about Lennon’s brief relationship with his assistant May Pang, and Kevin Macdonald’s excellent archive-clip-collage studyOne to One: John & Yoko. Now here is a lengthy and self-consciously reverential film, which is sadly the weakest of the group. It doesn’t quite get to grips with the implications of its own title (was Lennon on “borrowed time”, exactly, in the 1970s?) and there’s an awful lot of hot air from an awful lot of talking heads in its lengthy running time, some of whom are regaling us with less-than-premium-quality anecdotes – often just beamingly recalling the pinch-me moment they actually met John Lennon and, wow, he said hi and they couldn’t believe it.

The film covers the whole period from Lennon’s arrival in New York right through the decade, the solo albums, quarrels with Paul, protests, interviews, joint ventures with Yoko, the struggle to get a green card, the “lost weekend” with Pang, and finally his murder at the time he was planning an ambitious new global tour. Beatles-expert veterans like Ray Connolly and Philip Norman offer their reminiscences, along with broadcasters like Andy Peebles, Bob Harris and Tony Palmer – but, frankly, there are no alpha-level surviving intimates of Lennon.

Obviously, there’s food for thought here, a fair bit of wheat among the chaff: I didn’t know that John Lennon did a special concert in New York with Tom Jones and Peter Sellers calledA Salute to Sir Lew Grade, which is the kind of detail that would appeal to Beatles obsessive Craig Brown. One interviewee had an overhead view of Lennon’s dead body on the sidewalk from his apartment window and, believing that a photo would be in bad taste, he instead did an eerie on-the-spot painting of the grim scene – which the film shows. And it’s still a strange moment to see the TV news interview with Paul McCartney reacting at the time, clearly in shock, nervously chewing, appearing to be casual and even callous. I think Lennon himself might have been impatient with some of the piety here, but it’s always interesting and sincere.

Borrowed Time: Lennon’s Last Decade is in UK cinemas from 2 May.

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Source: The Guardian