OLLA MOKHTAR
campus editor
olla.mokhtar@my.tccd.edu
“Bob Marley: One Love” explores the life of late Bob Marley in a new light. Not just the fact that he managed to bring two opposing political parties together but how it impacted his life.
Marley is known for his concert “One Love” he put together to bring peace to the two opposing political parties. There was violent political unrest in Jamaica, particularly in the 1970s where gangs and drugs were plaguing the country.
It was then that Marley decided to host his concert. He recognized that the country seemed divided and wanted to help resolve the political unrest — but that wasn’t so easy. Right before, he was attacked and shot at his home.
The film was essentially a dramatized documentary that centered on his life before and after this concert and his life on tour. Specifically, when he got diagnosed with a rare type of cancer named melanoma.
A dramatized film with a celebrity like Marley is seldom done well. It’s seldom done considering the deceased’s family members and it is seldom done with respect, at least from what I have seen. This film, however, did none of the above, and Marley’s son made sure of that.
His inclusion was paramount to its success and is especially seen in Kingsley Ben-Adir’s interpretation of Marley. And thank god for that. Hollywood tends to be insensitive and often inaccurate and it’s honestly very hard to watch. My eyes hurt.
Luckily, the story flowed well.
Ben-Adir perfectly replicated Marley’s mannerisms on and off stage. It was also very impressive of him to replicate the Jamaican accent that way. At first, I had trouble understanding Ben-Adir, but I got used to it 20 minutes into the film. It wasn’t bothersome at all because the accent was so well done it added to portraying Marley more authentically.
What I definitely didn’t expect was the producers including Marley and his wife Rita Marley’s marriage struggles after the first concert. Immediately following it, Marley asked her to take herself and the children to the U.S.. During their time apart, Marley decided to stay in England for two years after the attack.
It was then that he produced his album “Exodus” and where he gained a lot of momentum from European audiences. With the distance came unfamiliarity.
People who aren’t famous often forget that famous people do not in fact have stress-free lives. It was told particularly well with the story telling of his cancer.
He had a wound on one of his big toes and though his wife was upset at him and his touring locations, she said it was water under the bridge. She immediately forgave him. Even after having children with another woman, she did. I could never but this review isn’t about me.
Aside from his marriage, the film expanded on his adamance to perform even after being exposed to danger and gaining the courage to do it again. He may have fled but he had the urge to go into a studio after being shot for what he wanted to do and Ben-Adir made it even more beautiful to watch.
The film portrayed Marley, his relationship with his country and the pain surrounding what was happening to it with grace. It wasn’t tone deaf at all; in fact the producers saw Marley’s son as a gateway to a beautiful film. One that gave a new standard to dramatized movies, good luck to the ones that come after it.
