The story of Marley’s recording of his most famous album dominates much of the film, but director Reinaldo Marcus Green also brings to life Marley’s love for his family and the ups and downs of his marriage to Rita. Throughout the film, you’re persistently left wondering when “One Love” will be about something or at least have a point of view on Marley’s politics, Rastafarian religion, or even reggae, but unfortunately we hardly see any of that.
“Bob Marley: One Love” is not a bad film. In fact, many will leave the theater pleased to learn a bit more about a man who will forever live on as the best reggae artist. When compared to other classic music biopics like “The Doors”, “Straight Outta Compton”, and “Ray”, “Bob Marley One Love” fails to live up to the hype.
Before the film began, a video message played from Ziggy Marley, Bob’s Marley’s son. He promised this would be an “authentic depiction” of his father. The idea of “authenticity” in art assumes a single truth. “One Love” should’ve captured the complexity of Marley’s music and life which was lively and soulful. This film lacks that energy and depth.
During the mid 1970’s, Jamaica was the site of political civil war with the People’s National Party, and Jamaican vs Labour Party battling one another for control. Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir) is a new, up and coming artist at the time and believer in his homeland, hoped his message of peace would help calm the fighting. While others viewed the Smile Jamaica Concert as a support rally for Micheal Manley the Prime Minister and member of the People’s National Party.They would do anything to stop the concert from happening. In an attempt to do so, two gunmen raided Marley’s house injuring him and severely wounding his wife Rita Marley (Lashana Lynch) and manager Don Taylor (Anthony Welsh). It was a moment that would forever change the lives of the three survivors and one that would eventually take Marley and his family away from Jamaica.
Marley and his Wailers leave for London, where they begin recording a new record. Rita and the family go to Delaware to live with Marley’s mother. Why she lives in the United States is never really explained, and she’s barely seen on screen.
As Marley and the Wailers leave Jamaica for London to do some soul-searching and record their next album, the film flashes back to glimpses of his youth. We see young Marley running from a burning field, pursued by a shadowy man on a horse who may or may not be the white father he never really knew. We see him embrace the Rastafari faith and how it gave him a sense of belonging.
Marley had many kids through his wife and affairs. In London, we catch extremely brief background glimpses of Cindy Breakspeare (Umi Myers), the beauty queen with whom Marley had a lengthy love affair. She gets no real dialogue, however, and maybe one quick close-up, almost as if the character were cut from the finished movie. This basically reduces her to groupie which is quite shocking, especially for a woman who was present in Marley’s life during this time and with whom he had a child with. While it would be easy to assume the Marley family’s involvement in the production mandated short shifts being given to this and other relationships, that’s probably inaccurate; other documentaries about Marley produced in partnership with his family have not avoided these subjects, like “Marley” directed by Kevin Macdonald.
In the recording studio, dull moments suggest the film is about creating Marley’s Exodus album. Quick songwriting scenes, including iconic tracks like “Jammin,” follow typical cinematic cliches. Marley names the album when he catches the Wailers listening to the “Exodus” soundtrack, leading to a sudden European tour.
Overall all the songs are good and thankfully there are a lot of them; “One Love” comes to life in its musical moments. Ben-Adir almost captures Marley’s energetic stage presence, watching the band play you might wish the film focused more on recreating Marley’s concerts. Marley expressed his life through raw, confessional lyrics making his global impact worldwide.
