‘Bob Marley: One Love’ Review: A Reverent Yet Uninspired Biopic of Reggae Royalty

In biographical films, there’s often a delicate balance between reverence and vivacity, between homage and genuine storytelling. Unfortunately, in the case of the ploddingly solemn account of reggae icon Bob Marley, titled simply ‘Marley,’ this balance seems to tilt heavily towards the former.

One can’t help but feel that a more dynamic portrayal could have been crafted from the sensational career and musical genius of Marley. His inspirational asceticism, though not quite humble and his poignant sacrificial destiny, driving himself relentlessly through illness to orchestrate a free concert for peace and unity in Jamaica in 1978, offer rich material for cinematic exploration.

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However, what we have instead is a film that feels like a reverent production straight out of the Hallmark Channel, made with the full cooperation of Marley’s family. Almost every relative seems to have an associate producer credit, and the film boasts all the necessary musical rights. While the hits are dutifully served up, the overall tone remains unrelaxed and sanctified.

Kingsley Ben-Adir, though an estimable performer, feels somewhat miscast and under-directed as Marley himself. The portrayal of pivotal moments, such as Marley’s brush with a gang war in Jamaica and an attempted murder in his family home, lacks the tension and excitement one would expect. It’s as if the film is already anticipating Marley’s imagined saintly forgiveness for his assailant.

Nevertheless, there are fleeting moments of vitality, particularly when the young Wailers crowd into a chaotic studio in Kingston in 1963 to record ‘Simmer Down,’ a call to renounce violence that would become emblematic of Marley’s message. Yet, these moments are too few and far between to inject sustained energy into the film.

Lashana Lynch brings dignity and self-possession to the role of Marley’s wife, Rita, while the film briefly acknowledges Marley’s extramarital affairs and paternities, only to swiftly sweep them aside as if inconsequential. Similarly, the film sidesteps Marley’s stance on homophobia in Jamaica, opting for a sanitized portrayal of his beliefs.

Standard-issue scenes in recording studios and uptight corporate offices offer little insight and even flashbacks to Marley’s boyhood feel cursory and uninspired. The mystery of his absent white father is somewhat redeemed by his commitment to Rastafarianism, but it’s a narrative thread that never quite achieves resonance.

In the end, ‘Marley’ feels like a vacuum-sealed package of fan orthodoxy, lacking the euphoria and uplift one would hope to find in a tribute to such a legendary figure. While it pays homage to Marley’s legacy, it falls short of capturing the vibrancy and complexity of the man behind the music.