Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE is the Bob Marley biopic the world has been waiting for. The film celebrates the life and music of one of the most influential musicians in the world who spread a message of love and unity.
Produced in partnership with the Marley family, the film shows the humble beginnings of the legendary musician up until one of his concerts in Africa.
The film begins when Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir) is preparing for a concert during a tumultuous time in Jamaica, where the country was riddled with crime and violence during a tense election year. With his band, The Wailers, and his wife, Rita (Lashana Lynch), the group goes back and forth on whether he should perform. Performing at the show was meant to be a sign of unity as he planned to squash any type of beef between the dueling political parties and unite Jamaica together to end the violence. Using vehicles like music and sports to bring peace have worked and their uses have been seen even after Marley’s untimely death. In the world of football (soccer), legendary striker Didier Drogba used the sport to stop a civil war in his home country of Ivory Coast in 2007. He ended a 5-year civil war by qualifying for the nation’s first-ever World Cup and then playing an exhibition match in a rebel stronghold. When he and his teammates begged for peace on live TV, it was replayed 24 hours a day, every day, for weeks. Like Drogba, Marley advocated for peace and love through his natural gift of music and his message ultimately spread furthan than just Jamaica.
The film served a buffet of emotions. It had lots of highs, seeing the band take wins here and there, and seeing moments of joy in a time of turmoil. There was plenty of suspense as you couldn’t predict when a rival might try to invade Marley’s property or what awaited them when they traveled to London. There was sadness, disappointment, even deceit within the camp. But there were two things that stood out from all of the aforementioned: love and music. The onscreen chemistry between Ben-Adir and Lynch could be felt in the theatre. You could feel it in your core that these two truly loved each other. Even though his wife was also a background singer, the love they shared for music was equal. He often sang to her and their kids, using it as a way to both decompress and fellowship.
Rastafarianism is defined as a religion, originating in Jamaica, whose followers regard the late Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie I as the messiah and themselves as exiles awaiting return to Africa, the Promised Land. “Jah” is a reference to Jehovah, God. He was a devout rastafarian and always spoke of love and peace. But when he was set to perform and put his preaching into practice on stage, armed men invaded his home in an attempt to take his life and that of his family. It wasn’t until he went to London and curtailed his sound to a newer, broader audience, that he would be ready to set the world ablaze with his messages of happiness and tranquility.
The subject of children and other women only came up once during an argument between him and his wife. It was noted but pretty much glanced over which is good. It’s a known fact that Marley has a lot of children, so I’m glad nothing was made of it here. It was acknowledged and the story continued which, in my opinion, was tastefully done. It’s these types of minute details that are so important when making a biopic. Which is why when I first heard that this film was on its way, I felt good about it strictly because the Marley family was involved. Without anyone to personally advocate for the late Marley who knows which direction this film could’ve gone.
The reggae legend left this earth on May 11, 1981. He’s been gone 43 years but his impact and message has never left. One of his most popular songs, “Three Little Birds (Everything’s Gonna Be Alright)“, is still a go-to favorite for good vibes and relaxation across the world. Just a few years ago, one of Bob Marley’s sons sang that very song with a stadium full of Ajax supporters before a match in Amsterdam. Also, don’t be surprised if the album Exodus surges in sales after this film’s release.
BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE gets a 9 out of 10. The will film will be aptly released on Valentine’s Day, Wednesday, February 14. Choosing his adult life as a starting point for the film was nicely done. Flashbacks of his childhood filled in the gaps for what was needed: How he met Rita, how he be became a rastafarian, and how he fell in love with music. We were fed enough to know that his family situation wasn’t the best, but he persevered and, as embarrassing as it sounds, everything turned out alright (I couldn’t help myself). It took awhile but the film was eventually assigned a rating of PG-13. There was a lot of smoking, a few fights, and a handful of shootings. But nothing that should deter anyone interested in going to the theater. The film was excellent.
BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE will be in theaters on Wednesday, February 14.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures