In Cannes, the documentary about John Lennon is deeply moving despite a disturbing AI.

Presented in a special screening at the Cannes Film Festival, John Lennon: The Last Interview This marks Steven Soderbergh's return to documentary filmmaking with a particularly emotionally charged project. The film revisits the very last interview given by John Lennon a few hours before his assassination on December 8, 1980, in New York.

From the moment it was announced, the screening generated considerable anticipation on the Croisette. Several figures from the world of film and music were in attendance, including Peter Jackson, who had already created the documentary series. The Beatles: Get BackSteven Soderbergh's feature film reveals for the first time the entirety of this intimate exchange conducted with Lennon and Yoko Ono at the time of the release of their album double fantasy.

An intimate and moving testimony

For nearly one hundred minutes, the documentary revisits this conversation recorded a few hours before the tragedy. Tired but at peace, John Lennon freely discusses his personal life, fatherhood, his relationship with fame, politics, and also his history with The Beatles.

The artist reflects in particular on his relationship with Paul McCartney and the importance of Yoko Ono in his artistic and personal reconstruction. The film portrays a serene man, far removed from the tormented image often associated with him after the band's breakup.

To enrich this audio material, Steven Soderbergh blends previously unseen archival footage, photographs, and testimonies from journalists present that day. Several critics praise the documentary's emotional power, its ability to bring to life a voice and an entire era, from the idealism of the 1970s to the political disillusionment of the early 1980s.

The use of AI causes unease

But despite the power of the testimony, one element deeply divides viewers and critics: the use of animated sequences generated by artificial intelligence. Certain scenes intended to illustrate John Lennon's memories or thoughts were created using generative AI tools, an artistic choice that doesn't convince everyone.

Several media outlets believe that these segments detract from the raw emotion of the original interview. While archival footage often suffices to create a striking connection with the musician, these digital animations sometimes give the impression of disrupting the sincerity of the narrative.

The contrast is all the more striking because the documentary relies primarily on the simplicity of a profoundly human conversation. Beyond the technological artifice, it is ultimately John Lennon's raspy yet luminous voice that remains at the heart of the film. A deeply moving presence, made all the more tragic by the fact that just hours after this interview, the singer was assassinated in front of his New York apartment building.