The legacy of Bob Marley and the influence of his music span genres. His messages resonate through generations. In Bob Marley: One Love, Director Reinaldo Marcus Green (King Richard) and writers Terence Winter (The Wolf of Wall Street), Frank E. Flowers (Shooting Stars), and Zach Baylin (Creed III) tackle Marley's journey from Jamaican star to world star as well as the story and influences behind his revolutionary music.
Kingsley Ben-Adir (Barbie), takes on the iconic role. Joining him are Lashana Lynch (No Time to Die), James Norton (Little Women), Tosin Cole (House Party), Umi Myers (Silent Witness), and Anthony Welsh (Master of None).
The entire cast does a fantastic job in their roles, with notable performances from Ben-Adir, and Lashanda Lynch. Ben-Adir does an incredible job embodying the mannerisms, the spirit, and the personality of Marley. Not only does he look the part, but he is also captivating in the role. Lynch does an excellent job as Rita, Bob's wife who stands beside him through so many trials and tribulations.
The incorporation of his music is both organic and fitting. Fans will want to sing and dance along in their seats as Bob Marley & The Wailer's most famous songs are weaved into almost every scene. The depiction of Marley singing Redemption Song around the campfire with his kids is a scene which will linger in the hearts of viewers.
While two hours doesn't feel like enough time to capture the essence of Bob Marley, two hours does seem a little too long for this film. The pacing feels off at times, unnecessarily lingering in some scenes, while rushing through moments of Marley's life which feel as though they deserve more screentime.
What the movie has in spirit, it lacks in cohesion. Scenes feel scattered and the timeline is somewhat jumbled with all of the flashbacks. The focus of the film jumps back and forth between Marley's music and his life. While those two things are undeniably intertwined, everyone's attention is split between the two, which means that neither gets enough emphasis. There are mere mentions of the adversities that he must overcome, but the audience doesn't get to linger in or see most of them. The film starts with lines of text that summarize the first 2/3 of his life. When the first scene opens, Marley is already a household name. This downplays his difficult background which is the foundation of some of the themes in his music.
Bob Marley: One Love is an adequate biopic that covers some of the highlights of Marley's career and a few of the trials he had to go through to get there. The acting is superb, as is the soundtrack. The accents are thick, which some moviegoers may find difficult to understand. While Ben-Adir's performance on the big screen is mesmerizing and the panning shots of the increasingly large crowds are a sight to see, the film isn't enhanced by a theater experience. Fans will appreciate the homage to a great icon.