The U.S. vs. John Lennon
An archival portrait of John Lennon’s peace activism and the Nixon-era campaign to silence and deport him.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- serious
- reflective
- politically charged
- historical documentary night
- music history viewing
What critics said
Critics generally found the documentary compelling for its fascinating archival footage and continued political relevance, while noting that it softens or omits negative aspects of Lennon.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Lennon’s peace campaigning and planned concerts provoke surveillance, deportation efforts, and political retaliation from Hoover and Nixon’s White House.
The film relies heavily on archival footage of Lennon, peace demonstrations, concerts, performances, and antiwar campaigns.
The central historical conflict concerns the concerted effort by government authorities to deport Lennon because of his political influence.
Songs, peace events, posters, and concert plans are presented as instruments of Vietnam-era youth mobilization.
Films like The U.S. vs. John Lennon, and why
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years
music documentary centered on a major artist’s political activism, archival performance footage, and cultural impact
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
archival music documentary examining a famous musician’s public persona, artistry, and historical moment
The War Room
politically engaged documentary combining protest history, activist figures, and extensive period archival footage
Woodstock
rock documentary using interviews and archival material to connect popular music with social and political change
Movie Details
- Directors
- John Scheinfeld, David Leaf
- Release Date
- 2006-09-15
- Runtime
- 99 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (76)
Cast
- John Lennon
- Yoko Ono
- Stew Albert
- Tariq Ali
- Carl Bernstein
- Robin Blackburn
- Chris Charlesworth
- Noam Chomsky
- Mario Cuomo
- Angela Davis
Common questions
- What is The U.S. vs. John Lennon about?
- An archival portrait of John Lennon’s peace activism and the Nixon-era campaign to silence and deport him.
- What is The U.S. vs. John Lennon like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The U.S. vs. John Lennon as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The U.S. vs. John Lennon violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The U.S. vs. John Lennon.
- What did critics think of The U.S. vs. John Lennon?
- Critics generally found the documentary compelling for its fascinating archival footage and continued political relevance, while noting that it softens or omits negative aspects of Lennon.
- Which films are like The U.S. vs. John Lennon?
- Films with a similar feel include The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years, George Harrison: Living in the Material World, The War Room, and Woodstock.
- How long is The U.S. vs. John Lennon?
- The U.S. vs. John Lennon runs 99 minutes.
