There’s one name that comes to mind first when you think of reggae music, Jamaica and Rastafarianism, and that’s Bob Marley. This Valentine’s Day we’re finally going to see his story come to life in the upcoming biopic Bob Marley: One Love, directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green in his first project since King Richard starring Will Smith. Critics have had the opportunity to screen the film ahead of its release, and while they’ve got plenty of praise for the lead actors, the movie overall has failed to capture much excitement.
In the musical drama, Bob Marley is played by Kingsley Ben-Adir, whose memorable roles include Malcolm X in One Night in Miami… and one of the Kens in Barbie. MCU actress Lashana Lynch plays Bob’s wife Rita Marley. Let’s see what the critics are saying about Bob Marley: One Love.
Lovia Gyarkye of THR lauds Kingsley Ben-Adir’s portrayal of Bob Marley but says the film overall fails to soar because it shies away from exploring what it truly meant for the singer to become a peace broker for his country and a beacon of hope for an oppressed people. At least it reintroduces audiences to the revolutionary icon, the critic says, writing:
Ben-Adir’s finely tuned performance captures the mystical relationship between Marley and his music as well as his kinetic stage presence. The British actor approaches becoming Marley much like Kristen Stewart did Diana in Spencer. He roots his portrayal in specific mannerisms — closing his eyes, jerking his body about as if overtaken by a holy spirit and indulging in that crooked and knowing smile. The actor wholly conjures Marley’s charisma while also teasing the musician’s sense of isolation, stemming from a childhood marked by abandonment. His compelling performance enlivens a film that otherwise feels like it’s perpetually struggling to take off.
Damon Wise of Deadline says Bob Marley: One Love at first looks like it’s going to break away from the cookie-cutter music biopic but ultimately falls victim to the cliches. However, Wise agrees that the lead actor rises to the challenge, continuing:
The problem with One Love is that, just like the music industry, its makers still don’t quite know how to deal with Bob Marley, a genuine original, a true rebel poet, a Che Guevara on the downbeat. But his music still sounds amazing and his almost mythical stature has not diminished a jot in the last half century. One Love may not catch a fire, but if it keeps the flame alive, well, maybe that’ll be enough.
Owen Gleiberman of Variety says the biopic missed its mark by choosing to focus just on two years of Bob Marley’s life, omitting the catharsis of his rise to fame, but he also praises Kingsley Ben-Adir for the way he captures the iconic musician. Gleiberman writes:
Too often, One Love feels like the downbeat, neurotic middle act of a conventional biopic — the hero lost in his identity crisis, hemmed in by fame — stretched out to feature length. The film tells you a lot about Bob Marley, yet it never quite figures out what his journey is. Lynch’s Rita is the movie’s most grounded character; her devotion to Marley, coupled with her understanding of his pain, is moving. But except for the scene in which Marley violently attacks his manager for trying to milk an African tour for profit, the Marley we see is close to a saint. The point of the new biopic mode was to reveal totemic figures in a more complex way. One Love flirts with complexity but slides into the banality of hero worship.
Vikram Murthi of IndieWire grades Bob Marley: One Love a C, lamenting that the film drains all of the political importance of its subject’s actions from the movie, and while it attempts to convey that Bob Marley had internal struggles, it doesn’t end up telling us much at all. Murthi continues:
One Love plods through an inert, and-then-this-happened structure that neglects to illuminate or entertain. It’s watchable only because of performances from Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch, who admirably attempt to imbue Bob and Rita Marley, respectively, with genuine life absent from the rest of the film.
Murtada Elfadl of AV Club gives it the even-worse grade of a D, writing that Bob Marley’s life and legacy deserve better than this “lifeless” film that never manages to show moviegoers why its subject is such an icon and why his life remains important today. In Elfadl’s words:
Instead of telling the story of this singular artist and the inspirational impact he had on a generation, the filmmakers come up with a narrative full of all the musical biopic cliches. The marketing executive who doesn’t understand the creative process? Check. The bad manager who steals from the artist? Check. The excess and extramarital affairs that come with success? Check. These events might have happened in Marley’s life, but the bland way they are presented, with scenes full of bad dialogue and awkward framing, make them look rather anonymous. It could be any other musician, they do not feel specific to Marley.
Critics seem to be disappointed in how Bob Marley: One Love captured the musician’s life, even if they had mostly great things to say about the lead’s portrayal of Bob Marley. If you want to watch this story of the reggae legend unfold on the big screen, you can do so starting Wednesday, February 14, and be sure to check out our 2024 movie calendar to see what other coming-soon movies pique your interest.