Summary

• Bob Marley: One Love focuses on Marley's music and his impact, rather than delving deep into his personal life and politics.
• Kingsley Ben-Adir delivers a remarkable performance as Bob Marley, capturing the singer's mannerisms, speech, and presence.
• Despite its shortcomings, One Love is a well-crafted film that offers a lovely viewing experience, fueled by Marley's music and outstanding performances.

Biopics are fascinating. The portrayal of real people in a film, especially when it has the blessing of their surviving loved ones, risks the subject being flattened, their history too sanitized. Other times, a biopic can capture the spirit of the person whose life it’s based on. Bob Marley: One Love does both. Set between 1976 and 1978, Bob Marley: One Love ultimately embraces the essence of who Bob Marley was, what he stood for, and the lasting impact he had on Jamaica and the world.

Bob Marley: One Love Leaves Out Much Of The Singer’s Personal Life

It glosses over much of his personal life and softens the edges of his inner world and politics. As a biopic of a beloved musician, though, it’s more enjoyable and rewarding than not. Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green from a screenplay he co-wrote with Zach Baylin, Frank E. Flowers, and Terence Winter, One Love is about more than Bob Marley as a man — it’s just as much about what he stood for and why he stood out.

Focusing on two years of his life and bookending the film with a peace concert grounds the narrative. It prevents it from losing focus, nor is it crunched for time in of life events. Of course, One Love cutting out much of the details of Marley’s personal life leaves the story feeling somewhat incomplete. Here is a dedicated reggae singer whose music touched millions, but whose inner life largely comes down to a tense fight with his wife Rita (Lashana Lynch), who mentions the sacrifices she’s made and the children she’s raised (many of whom were from Marley’s affairs).

There are a few brief flashbacks that provide context to his family, including his mother and father, who wasn’t around much, and his early years with Rita. But the film doesn’t linger on these things, and especially not the tension his affairs had on his marriage. By glossing over these elements, One Love loses out on a richer, deeper exploration of Marley as a person whose flaws ultimately didn’t overpower his life as a musician, but certainly affected him and those around him more than the biopic lets on. It even sanitizes some of the politics that influenced his music.

The music itself is just as moving now as it was when it was first released, and you’ll find yourself pulled in thanks to fantastic central performances and the spiritedness with which it captures Marley.

Kingsley Ben-Adir Is Perfect As Bob Marley

Lashana Lynch also gives a stunning performance

Kingsley Ben-Adir has been putting in the work as an actor, and he’s always shined brightly. As Bob Marley, however, Ben-Adir, who learned how to sing and play guitar for the role, takes his performance to another level. The actor’s portrayal is detailed — his mannerisms, speech, and general presence exemplifies the reggae singer. But Ben-Adir’s performance is not merely a copy; through body language and emotive expressions, he offers depth and humanization, conveying love, frustration, calm, anger, and a sobering sadness all at once. If for nothing else, Bob Marley: One Love should be seen for Ben-Adir’s performance.

Lashana Lynch, who has long proven her excellence in her craft, gives a resonant performance as Rita Marley. Through looks alone, you’ll know what she’s feeling. Lynch is patient and caring, but has ferocity in her eyes, especially if she is pushed too far. Lynch expertly conveys love and other, more complicated emotions in her gaze. The rest of the ing cast is good too, filling out Marley’s world — from the of Bob Marley and the Wailers to the music publicist (Michael Gandolfini), everyone’s got a role to play.

Bob Marley: One Love won't knock your socks off, but there is enough care put into crafting the narrative that turns it into a lovely viewing experience overall. Could the biopic have delved further into Marley’s life? Certainly. But the fact it’s so focused on a specific period in the musician’s life and fueled by his music — which heavily factors into the film — is excellent. The music itself is just as moving now as it was when it was first released, and you’ll find yourself pulled in thanks to fantastic central performances and the spiritedness with which it captures Marley.