Bob Marley: One Love (2024)

​“Bob Marley: One Love" stars Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, James Norton, Tosin Cole, Aston Barrett Jr., Anthony Welsh, Sevana, Hector Lewis, Michael Gandolfini, and Nadine Marshall. Released on February 14, 2024, the film chronicles the life of reggae singer Bob Marley.

The film was directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, who also directed “Monsters and Men,” “Joe Bell,” and “King Richard.” They say that you express love with words and actions, but in some cases, the way to express it is with peace and the serene sound of reggae music. With Valentine’s Day being about showing love to everyone, it’s appropriate that we have a music-focused biopic involving an iconic singer manifesting it with tranquility and melody. The musician I’m referring to is Bob Marley, whose distinctive vocal and musical styles made him a global figure for Jamaica and the entire world. He even made Jamaican music famous outside his hometown with songs like “One Love” and “Three Little Birds”. While Marley was taken away from us way too soon in 1981 due to his skin cancer, his musical legacy will always live on along with other famous musicians. Like the other musical biopics we got recently, Marley’s story is being retold for the cinematic crowd, becoming the latest movie in this recent money-making trend. Was it able to capture the legacy faithfully? Let’s find out.  

The movie depicts the events surrounding Bob Marley (Ben-Adir), a kind-hearted family man and reggae singer in Jamaica. The story focuses on the rise of Marley’s fame during the mid-1970s when Jamaica was heavily affected by the political conflict between the left and right wings of the country. The events that occurred include the attempted assassination of him before his peace rally concert “Smile Jamaica”. As Bob and his wife Rita (Lynch) recover from the incident, he embarks on a journey to London to overcome adversity and violence by providing a new album that would revolutionize people’s love for generations.

I don’t have much experience with Bob Marley regarding his history and music. The only thing I remembered from him was the song “Three Little Birds,” mainly from the movies “Shark Tale” and “I Am Legend.” Thank you, Will Smith, for reminding me of its existence. However, my parents have fond memories of the artist while I’m stuck with the melodies of today. But I was willing to watch it anyway due to the involvement of Reinaldo Marcus Green, who’s coming off the heels of the award-winning “King Richard” three years ago. Plus, I have had a soft spot for musical biopics since “Straight Outta Compton”. While there have been a couple of misses in this cinematic trend, I admire Hollywood’s desire to reintroduce yesteryear's iconic artists to longtime fans and newcomers, even if the events told weren’t 100% accurate. So where does this cinematic tale of Bob Marley land in the musical biopic spectrum? I would say it’s somewhere in the middle. It’s no “Straight Outta Compton”, but like Marley’s music, the film has its heart in the right place.

Instead of exploring Bob Marley’s entire life outside his career, “One Love” only covers the pivotal two-year span approximately five years before his death in 1981, with his childhood and early relationship with Rita represented in flashbacks. In addition to his quest to bring peace back to his home country, the movie showcases Marley and his band, the Wailers, creating an album inspired by the soundtrack of the 1960 epic historical drama, “Exodus”, and their situation. Some people may prefer to see more of Marley’s personal life, but to me, it’s a perfect timeline for the movie to cover due to its relevance. We’ve been surrounded by hate and violence for so long that we often forget what it means to surround ourselves with love and compassion. Through Bob’s journey and music, the movie examines the importance of bringing peace, compassion, and forgiveness not just for everyone but also for ourselves. With its themes of peace, unity, and love, “One Love” reminds us that life’s too short to be overshadowed by stupidity and hatred and that only the power of serenity (and reggae music) will set us free.

With so much stuff happening around me and my family, especially for political reasons, I can easily relate to “One Love” regarding its thoughtful themes and Bob’s music. I would even say that everyone else who feels the same way will find plenty to admire from the musical biopic. However, it’s also one of the only elements keeping the movie’s fundamental rhythm from fading out of existence. Regarding its execution and storytelling, “Bob Marley: One Love” is an occasionally safe, by-the-numbers reflection of Marley’s crucial moments of his career that struggled to maintain the tenderness it’s going for. With the movie only focusing on those events, its screenplay had little to work with to make it more than just another simplistic biopic. The heart and soul of Bob Marley exist due to the involvement of Rita Marley and her children, including Ziggy, as the film's producers. However, when it comes to the script, it periodically relies on the genre’s tropes that the previous musical biopics handled better.  

The first act was the best part of “One Love,” in my opinion, mainly because of the cast’s charisma and Green’s direction. Reinaldo Marcus Green has demonstrated his potential as a promising filmmaker in the African-American community despite not being on par with his vision in "King Richard". His approach to the musical sequences, settings, and Bob's flashbacks was visually appealing and aesthetically pleasing, particularly in its depiction of 1970s Jamaica. As for the rest of the movie following the Europe tour, the momentum periodically faltered to the point where it relies on its formulaic notes to keep the music playing and the slow pacing engaging. Fortunately for me, the second and third acts had enough enjoyable moments to overcome its narrative setbacks, especially the ending. They’re not terrible, but I wouldn’t call them groundbreaking, either.

In addition to Green’s direction, the film’s cast made a remarkable effort in their performances to capture the characters’ authenticity and soul, mainly Kingsley Ben-Adir. Ben-Adir’s career took off thanks to his roles in “One Night in Miami,” “Barbie,” and Marvel’s “Secret Invasion.” He has been in other films and television shows before the ones I mentioned, but Regina King’s “One Night in Miami” was when I realized Ben-Adir’s potential as an actor. If that’s not enough for you to feel the same way about Ben-Adir, then I have no doubt his performance in “One Love” would make you change your tune. Kingsley Ben-Adir successfully captured the charming persona and humanity of the iconic reggae singer through his acting nuances, especially his Jamaican accent, making him one of the movie’s highlights. Lashana Lynch was also terrific in her performance as Rita Marley, with her scene involving an argument with Bob showcasing her exceptional talent. James Norton and Tosin Cole were also decent as Chris Blackwell and Tyrone Downie, respectively.

Overall, “Bob Marley: One Love” represents the singer’s journey for peace and unity with compassion and charisma, but its storytelling struggled to match the amount of love and boldness as his musical legacy. It is a straightforward and harmless biopic that genuinely pays tribute to Bob Marley as a musician and a person. However, those seeking another exceptional biopic that goes beyond its usual clichés may not find much innovation in its musical structure. I would also say it’s one of the movies that provide enough warmth and happiness to wash people’s troubles away, no matter how significant their flaws are. Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch shine as the Marley couple, and Green’s presentation is a visual and authentic delight. Unfortunately, regarding its formula and hit-and-miss emotional depth, it’s a run-of-the-mill biopic that had a great movie hidden underneath its harmonious surface. If you love Bob Marley and his music, you’re going to enjoy this film more than I did. Just don’t expect it to be another masterpiece for the genre.

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