One to One: John & Yoko examines John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s historic One to One benefit concert amid the charged political landscape of early-1970s America.

I’d been wanting to see this film since I first heard about it last year when I first glanced at the Telluride lineup. It went on to play at Sundance this past year, but I wasn’t covering either in person or virtually. Seeing as how screeners were not available for the film’s April 2025 theatrical release (my emails went unanswered), I had to wait quite a while for the film to become available later in the year.

One to One: John & Yoko offers an intimate, revelatory look at John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s life in early-1970s Greenwich Village. The documentary brings rarely seen and newly restored footage to the screen, including the couple’s only full-length concert. With new audio mixes produced by Sean Ono Lennon, the film immerses viewers in a vivid portrait of the iconic duo, offering fresh insights that challenge familiar narratives and highlight their creativity, activism, and personal bond during a transformative period.

Approaching anything relating to The Beatles and their solo careers is a daunting task. Beyond unheard interviews or recordings, what new is there to say? Enter Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald, approached by producer Peter Worsley. One to One: John & Yoko captures a John Lennon who feels more honest and authentic than most celebrities of the era. He wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, even as he risked deportation from the U.S. If he were alive today, he’d likely be a naturalized citizen, speaking out against the current fascist administration.

Much like President Richard Nixon at the time, Lennon recorded his phone calls. Some of these calls appear in One to One: John & Yoko for the first time, newly digitized for both Yoko and Sean. Certain comments are chilling, especially considering Lennon’s tragic fate 45 years ago. At the same time, the film itself deepens our understanding of why Lennon and Ono came to America: searching for Ono’s daughter, Kyoko—a reunion Lennon sadly never experienced due to his assassination on December 8, 1980.

I’m not completely satisfied with how Kevin Macdonald approaches the material in One to One: John & Yoko. I understand the need to give audiences context for why Lennon and Ono held the One to One benefit concert at Madison Square Garden on August 30, 1972. Following them during their years in Greenwich Village is compelling, but I take issue with the amount of time spent on American politics, from Nixon’s presidency to the growing opposition to the Vietnam War.

One to One: John & Yoko heavily emphasizes Lennon and Ono’s consumption of American culture and politics through television. While I would have preferred a stronger focus on the concert itself, Macdonald and his team deserve credit for meticulously recreating the apartment. Some performances are shown in full, while others are interwoven with news and cultural events of the time—reminding viewers that many issues, from race to the environment, remain unresolved. Conspiracy theories, amplified by social media, are arguably worse than ever.

What I came for, beyond audio or video recordings of Lennon, is the remastered concert footage. These were the only full-length performances Lennon gave after The Beatles’ breakup and the final shows by both Lennon and Ono. Sean Ono Lennon oversaw the new audio mastering, and the results are remarkable. Watching on a 4K TV, it’s easy to see where the video has been restored and where limitations remain—but the care put into this aspect of One to One: John & Yoko is undeniable.

For John Lennon fans seeking more music and less documentary, the accompanying Power to the People: Live at the One to One Concert is available as a hybrid best-of CD, a 2-CD set featuring both afternoon and evening concerts, and a limited deluxe 9-CD/3 Blu-ray set. My understanding is that this is currently the only way to experience the full performances. The deluxe set is pricey, so hopefully the concerts will eventually reach streaming or digital platforms. The footage that Macdonald includes in One to One: John & Yoko is not enough.

Overall, One to One: John & Yoko is an uneven but compelling look at two of modern music’s most iconic figures. The restored concert footage is undeniably impressive, offering a rare glimpse of Lennon and Ono performing at the height of their post-Beatles creativity. While the documentary leans heavily on politics and television culture—sometimes at the expense of the music—it never loses its grip on the viewer’s attention. For fans, it provides unique material and insight, even if it doesn’t fully satisfy those hoping for a concert-focused experience. In the end, it’s worth seeing for the performances and the intimate glimpses or recordings of Lennon and Ono, even if it falls short of greatness.

DIRECTOR: Kevin Macdonald
CO-DIRECTOR: Sam Rice-Edwards
FEATURING: John Lennon, Yoko Ono

Magnolia Pictures released One to One: John & Yoko in theaters on April 11, 2025. HBO premiered the film on November 14 and it is streaming on HBO Max. Grade: 3.5/5

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