Bob Marley: One Love

Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green
Starring: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, James Norton, Tosin Cole, Aston Barrett Jr., Anthony Welsh, Sevana, Hector Boots Lewis, Alexxa A-Game, Abijah "Naki Wailer" Livingston, Stefan A.D Wade, Michael Gandolfini
Running Time: 107 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★½ (out of ★★★★)

It's become commonplace for many to bemoan each new musical biopic as "paint by numbers," arguing they often fail in capturing the life and career of its subject. But you might have a whole new appreciation for those supposedly flawed films after viewing director Reinaldo Marcus Green's Bob Marley: One Love. On one hand, it takes great pains in actively avoiding a lot of tropes that have defined the genre over the years. Unfortunately, that also turns out to be its biggest problem. 

Instead of nitpicking inaccuracies and chronological errors in otherwise exceptional entertainment like Rocketman and Bohemian Rhapsody, it might be time to admit the standard biopic format exists for a reason. Otherwise, we're left with something like this, which isn't just an occasional chore to sit through, but lacks the scope and excitement befitting one of the most revered recording artists of the era.                

It's 1976 and as Jamaica remains firmly entrenched in political turmoil and violence, reggae singer Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir) announces he'll be performing at the "Smile Jamaica" concert to promote peace in his homeland. But when Marley, his wife Rita (Lashana Lynch) and other band members survive a shooting, he'll need to contemplate his next steps while coming to grips with why a fellow countryman would try to kill him.  

After recovering, Marley and the band turn their attention to the recording of "Exodus," a concept album partially inspired by the soundtrack to the feature film. It becomes a huge hit, catapulting him to worldwide fame as he tours with The Wailers and plans to play in Africa against the record label's wishes.  But infidelity, managerial turmoil and increasing health concerns threaten Marley's already shaky marriage to Rita. Through it all, he remains determined to spread his message of peace at any cost.

The film's opening hour is sort of a slog, as screenwriters Green, Terence Winter, Frank E. Flowers and Zach Baylin forego any route that would brand this as a rote, mechanical biography. Other than some brief, visually arresting flashbacks of Marley being abandoned as a child, there's no background on his early life, instead zeroing in on the singer's mid to late 70's and early 80's peak. But it's tough to deride the decision since that window does represent him at the height of his powers and social activism, making music universal enough to bridge political divides and ideaologies. 

The movie's at its best when depicting that influence, but there's also a lot of aimlessness sandwiched in between. The assassination attempt is a big inciting event, but it's followed by long stretches of Marley sitting in solitude, singing to himself and getting high as he quietly contemplates his next move. Friends come and go, time's spent with a few underdeveloped supporting characters, but business doesn't really pick up until he and the band quarrel with Island Record executives over cover art for their eventual breakout album.

Of course, the album's success proves Marley right, and with his musical genius now widely affirmed, the rest of the film focuses on his ascent, which isn't without casualties. Lashana Lynch impresses as Rita, but any acknowledgement of their problems is limited to one emotionally heavy scene and their kids are treated as an afterthought. That two of them would go on to co-produce this very picture only makes the exclusion that much stranger, even with the passing implication Marley skirted his parental responsibilities.

While not physically resembling Marley much at all, British actor Kingley Ben-Adir (who previously played Malcolm X in One Night in Miami) acquits himself fine in the title role, giving an introspective performance that stands in stark contrast to the larger than life turns we see in biopics of this sort. But if Marley is a different, more subdued musical figure who necessitates this approach, the results still remain less than enthralling for viewers.                

There are some memorable shots from Oscar winning cinematographer Robert Elswit and it's never a bad thing to hear wall-to-wall Bob Marley music for two straight hours, but those strengths can also frustrate, teasing us with what a deeper examination of this talent could look like. It's admirable Green forgoes what's expected, but it's still more of a navel-gazing hangout movie about Marley's philosophy than an all encompassing dive into his life. 

Full of small compelling moments, others only serve to test viewers' patience as we become flies on the wall, waiting for the story to find its voice in the third act. While technically well crafted and containing some worthwhile performances, it ambles along until reaching a conclusion padded with title cards and actual concert footage. If the idea was to focus on what Bob Marley represented, it's partially successful, but feels stitched together, causing disappointment for those hoping he'd get a film worthy of his impact.