Bob Marley: One Love film revisits the inspiring biography tale of the Jamaican musical icon. Putting his heart and soul into Reggae music, he used it to spread the message of love.
Furthermore, using the mesmerizing effects of his Reggae music, he propagated the universal message of humanity. Notably, this film is backed by Bob’s family members. So, we get to see all the non-controversial aspects of his personality, without ever delving into the prickly issues. Perhaps, it could be the positive (or negative) aspects of his biopic.
“Bob Marley: One Love” – Its Lead Actor Kingsley Ben-Adir Shines Brightly In This Non-Controversial Biopic
Synopsis:- ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ (2024) Movie
It celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity. This film depicts a story of how reggae icon Bob Marley overcame adversity, and the journey behind his revolutionary music.
Trailer:- ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ (2024) Movie
Spoiler Free Review:- ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ (2024) Movie
The legend – Bob Marley
Renowned Jamaican artist, musician, lyricist, and advocate Bob Marley has acted as a worldwide ambassador for reggae music, having sold over 20 million records over his professional journey. He is notably the premier international musical sensation to emerge out of the so-called developing (Third) World and influence music on the global stage.
No wonder, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame posthumously inducted Bob Marley in 1994, acknowledging his significant contributions. Time Magazine later bestowed the title of Album of the Century upon his 1977 release “Exodus” in December 1999. Furthermore, the BBC recognized his iconic song “One Love” as the Song of the Millennium.
The lead pair of Kingsley Ben-Adir & Lashana Lynch did well
We learnt that the casting of Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley received the approval of Ziggy Marley, the late musician’s son. Playing the protagonist Bob Marley is a challenging task even at the best of times. However, after watching the film, we think that Kingsley was a good fit indeed. It seems that Kingsley worked with a lot of dedication and perseverance in the film. And we think that Ziggy made the right choice.
To fully embody the character of Bob Marley, Kingsley Ben-Adir dedicated himself to learning Jamaican Patois for more than a year. Throughout the filming process, he was supported by a team of language experts consisting of seven to eight individuals. Initially, Kingsley Ben-Adir had reservations about portraying Bob Marley due to not being Jamaican and lacking musical talents such as singing or playing the guitar.
On the other hand, Kingsley was very well complemented and supported by his co-star Lashana Lynch in the film. The other members of its ensemble cast were impressive too. We also liked the way they recreated the (Jamaica, England and others) of the 1970-1980s era. And what can we say about the amazing music of Bob in the film, we simply loved it, so we have shared it below.
What else did we wish for in the film?
As we hinted earlier its writers and directors could have added hot masala (spices) to its plain and banal storyline. Bob was a creative genius, who was gone too soon. But even in his short life, he heroically scaled the tall peaks of the global music world. Amazingly, he used his musical talents rooted in emerging nations to shake the foundation of well-entrenched music from the developed nations.
Not to forget, his timeless universal message of peace and brotherhood still resonates, even after so many decades after his tragic demise. We want more of him, not less.
The conclusion
Despite the above-mentioned drawbacks, the ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ film provides a poignant look into a short chapter of the singer’s life, particularly for those unfamiliar with his background. And we applaud its team for it. This film is a good ode to the global musical star Bob Marley, who is renowned for his commitment to unity, love, self-determination, and RASTAFARI, which have gained him immense recognition around the world.
At the conclusion of the film, a closing title informs the audience about the untimely passing of Bob Marley in 1981 when he was just 36 years old. Coincidentally, Kingsley Ben-Adir celebrated his 37th birthday while the filming took place. Throughout the end credits, a multitude of footage captures the genuine Bob Marley in action during the actual concert featured in the film.
Complementing these visuals are snippets from press conferences, home movies, and other sources. Furthermore, informative text blocks shed light on the events that transpired after the film's narrative. The logos of Paramount Pictures, Plan B Entertainment, and Tuff Gong Pictures are elegantly adorned with the iconic Rastafarian colors of red, green, and gold.
One Love. One Humanity. One World. Peace.
Rating:-
| FM Rating | 3.50/5 |
| FM Short Comments | We were impressed that the lead actor Kingsley Ben-Adir looked and sounded like a musical genius Bob Marley in the film. He is well supported by the lead actress Lashana Lynch, who portrayed his life partner Rita Marley. We only wish that they could have added a few more insights into his musical creative processes, besides adding a couple of dramatic political and personal issues. That would have offered us a peek into the life of brilliant Bob Marley, who lived a short but impressive life as an artist as well as an activist. |
Posters:-
Key Details:-
| Genre | Biography, Drama, Music |
| Original language | English (Jamaican, UK, USA) |
| Duration | 1 hour 47 minutes |
| Writers | Terence Winter, Frank E. Flowers, Zach Baylin & Reinaldo Marcus Green |
| Director | Reinaldo Marcus Green |
| Cast | Kingsley Ben-Adir (Bob Marley), Lashana Lynch (Rita Marley), James Norton (Chris Blackwell), Nia Ashi (Teen Rita Marley), Quan-Dajai Henriques (Teen Bob Marley), Tosin Cole (Tyrone Downie), Umi Myers (Cindy Breakspeare), Anthony Welsh (Don Taylor), etc. |
| Taglines | Artist. Rebel. Legend. Some voices are forever. Discover the legend behind the message. First he changed music. Then he changed the world. |
| Production | State Street Pictures, Tuff Gong Pictures, Plan B Entertainment |
| Distributors | Paramount Pictures |
We loved the Musical Soundtrack of the Movie
Marley's "Legend" compilation has consistently sold more than 250,000 copies each year since its debut in 1984, as reported by Nielsen Sound Scan. It is one of only 17 albums to surpass 10 million copies in sales since SoundScan's inception in 1991. Currently, it holds the title of the second highest-selling compilation album ever and the second longest-running album on the Billboard charts.
Posters and Featured Images of the Bob Marley: One Love (2024) Film are courtesy of Paramount.