Reinaldo Marcus Green’s Bob Marley: One Love fails to find a concrete balance in what part of its titular figure’s historical record it wants to cover. In some ways, it’s clear it doesn’t intend to be like a routine biopic, yet in other ways, that’s the exact formula we’re following. Thereby, it results in a convoluted spectacle that’s, at the very least, bursting with incredible performances.
With that said, Bob Marley: One Love is worth watching for every little detail that Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch bring to the table as Bob and Rita Marley. The film does an admirably intricate job of emphasizing the loyalty within their relationship, bringing to life the gorgeous sentiment of what it means to be beside someone through thick and thin. Quiet moments between the two and even loud, explosive arguments result in some of the strongest beats, authenticating the fact that solid casting can truly take a film far. Several key players additionally make the film work, and the same can be said about James Norton as Chris Blackwell and Anthony Welsh as Don Taylor.
Still, perhaps the film’s most tremendous fallout comes from its pacing. While specific beats are essential to establish how we get from point A to point B, some cuts and flashbacks make it increasingly challenging to engage with the media. The depth is undoubtedly under the surface, attempting to burst through with the performances, but so much of it feels contained in a box that’s afraid of being too much. Only in a film like this, too much is the necessary ingredient to showcase why and how Marley became such a triumphant figure to this date. The trailers were too much in the best way, detonating with sound and fire in a way that hasn’t been done in a long time.
The biopic is a visual feast with some gorgeous moments enunciating the importance of the musician’s legacy and everything that he accomplished for Jamaican citizens in the late 70s. It’s clear as day in every frame that Green recognizes the layers and gifts that make Marley such an influential figure, translating it all onto the screen with ease. Yet, as viewers meander through various cuts and changes that tame and control the narrative, perhaps we can argue that the weight of what Marley accomplishes flares through in the containment. And while sure, to a degree, that’s something that can be observed while looking closely, it still feels like something is missing when you step out of the theater.
Nevertheless, where Bob Marley: One Love’s theme is concerned, love is a brilliantly sharp presence throughout. You can feel the essence of Marley’s compassion, heart, and stamina and every character who adores him. The very love that remains part of the musician’s legacy is brimming throughout the film, catching fire in all the ways that matter. While it isn’t the most excellent biopic to exist, it’s one that’ll make moviegoers appreciate the story unfolding in front of them.
Bob Marley: One Love is now playing exclusively in theaters.
First Featured Image | Poster Credit: ©Paramaount Pictures