IronWatcher’s review published on Letterboxd:
Watched in the cinema (25th visit in 2024)
It is common knowledge that Bob Marley not only stands for reggae and Jamaica, but also for his political activism, and perhaps some people are also familiar with the term Rastafarian. But it would be naïve to assume that this is all this music icon stands for. The biopic "Bob Marley: One Love" now aims to make clear to those who were previously unaware of the immense impact Robert Nesta Marley had not only as a musician but also as a peace activist. Especially in the last years of his all too short life, violence was omnipresent in Jamaica. But why? This question remains unanswered. Although short television clips are shown and the various rival factions are mentioned here and there, the actual why remains in the dark. This blank space could certainly be interpreted as a subtle commentary on the arbitrariness and illogical madness that results from violence. However, the setting should have been better developed for this.
Marley's life is condensed into less than two hours. In short sequences, we learn about his childhood and are occasionally confronted with symbolic flashbacks, which, despite their artful staging, seem more incidental than truly essential. The focus is clearly on his work in the late 1970s, in particular his work on the legendary album "Exodus". As is so often the case in biopics, a certain amount of energy is spent on depicting the artistic process and the creation of art. However, this is only enough for one truly memorable scene, which only captures Marley's musical genius in a rough and simplified way. What made him so unique and significant musically is a question that "Bob Marley: One Love" addresses far too rarely.
Director Reinaldo Marcus Green and his scriptwriters never quite manage to deliver a complete narrative. In the end, however, we realise how crucial Marley's commitment to peace in Jamaica was. But even this is mainly only hinted at or dealt with superficially. Only the text panels and archive footage before the end credits make us realise its true significance. Of course, connoisseurs of the Marley personality will recognise allusions and terms here and there, but nothing more.Overall, "Bob Marley: One Love" proves to be a work of assertions. Much is asserted because it is easier than letting things develop. Admittedly, the film has a fast pace in the first half (at least for a biopic), but this doesn't exactly make it any easier to absorb information. This occasionally leads to some of Marley's motivations seeming a little random, such as his seemingly gratuitous marital dispute with his wife Rita.
Rita Marley can be considered the good soul of the film, which is also due to her actress Lashana Lynch. Meanwhile, lead actor Kingsley Ben-Adir proves with his performance that he should not be written off despite his soporific performance in "Secret Invasion". The cast and their imitation of the role models succeed quite well, but both lack the unconditionally rousing quality. A judgement that can be applied to the entire title. A work that tries to show us not only an artist, but also his environment and a political and social climate, but ultimately doesn't deliver enough to make you feel like you know more than you did before, except for the broad details.
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