Bob Marley: One Love

Iron Screen Review Film Vote: March 2024

By Lucas Castillo ’25

SPOILERS AHEAD!

I like the majority of this film’s story, and respect the presentation of Bob Marley’s life. The film’s emphasis on Bob Marley’s pleas for peace, the prices he paid to spread his message of peace, and how fame and success subtly lures people into a world of shady dealings and blind ignorance is a solid perspective to view his life from, but then they had to mess it up by only touching on the fact that nine of his twelve children are not his wife’s children! This huge characterizing fact is offhandedly blurted out during Bob and Rita’s argument during the film, and it irritates me that such an interesting and complex topic is mentioned with the barest of context.

I get that this fact was not a center point of the film, but given the way that they framed Bob and Rita’s relationship and his characterization all together, this fact sticks out like a sore thumb. They should have, either, not mentioned this at all and kept the narrative cohesion, or, more tastefully, have it be explored more thoroughly and set up throughout the film. In all reality, they probably just ran out of time. This opinion might be controversial, as it often is in most contexts, but I wish that this film were longer. I wish that they explored his struggle with status and success more thoroughly, instead of only touching on it, resolving it immediately after he beat up his agent, and then moving on to his cancer situation. I wish that they actually explained how and when he had children with other women and why Rita was “ok” with it until the tour.

On a lighter note, the music was excellent. It’s Bob Marley – what did you expect? And, Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch knocked it out of the park with their portrayal of Bob and Rita Marley. Kingsley Ben-Adir embodied Marley to a T, nailing his Jamaican-plus accent and his mannerism, to the point that if you closed your eyes and were asked to tell the difference between the two, you would think that they were the same person. Lashana Lynch did an amazing job as well, particularly with her heart-wrenching performance during their climactic argument. Everyone did a good job, but these two, as expected, were clear standouts.

All in all, Bob Marley: One Love is a good representation of Bob Marley’s life, and although it isn’t perfect, I feel that it does respect, if not glorifies, him and his legacy. So, in my personal and all but factual opinion, I would give Bob Marley: One Love an 8/10 – go see it now!