When John Lennon moved to New York City with Yoko Ono in the early 1970s to escape the madness surrounding his super celebrity in London, he found some sort of serenity in the bustling metropolis. Soon this peace would be disrupted when the United States government sought his and Ono's deportation for his political actions citing an old British hash possession charge. Matters would worsen when the couple split and Lennon made a tumultuous extended visit to Southern California. Soon, he would regain his inner peace when he returned to Ono and the city and saw the birth of his son Sean, which he would retain until that sad December day in front of his home at The Dakota. "LennoNYC" is an interesting and intimate portrait of the deified, extremely talented, if not polarizing legend replete with with Ono's own personal stock footage and recording material. The film is largely fascinating as we hear John take us through his troubles and the creative process, as Ono, friends, and collaborators comment as well. I did find the film to lose steam after awhile and thought it was too bloated with redundant talking heads interviewees. Still, this is a rich portrait that is always invigorating when its subject is on screen.
