The One Love biopic follows the life of the revolutionary musician Bob Marley whose inspiring music spanned generations. Produced alongside the Marley family, this film captures the essence of Bob Marley and The Wailers.
“Reggae’s a people music. People coming together.”
The film follows Marley (Ben-Adir) and The Wailers as they traverse the politically tense environment of Jamaica and their creation of their album Exodus, which was credited as an album that defined the 20th century. Although the film does not show much of Marley’s childhood or his passing, it still captures his mission to spread his message through his revolutionary music.
Praise is due to be given to Kingsley Ben-Adir for his performance as Bob Marley. The actor is reported to have gone through months of musical, movement and dialect training for this role. It paid off. Ben-Adir captures the character of Bob Marley through his acting. Another fascinating addition reveals that Ben-Adir’s voice was mixed with Bob Marley’s original signing. This mixing appears when the actor is performing onstage in the film or playing in a more relaxed setting with The Wailers.
“I want my music to unify people all over the Earth.”
Musical and emotional, this film will make you want to sing along in some scenes and cry in the next. It captures the violent environment of Jamaica in this period, the soul of Marley’s music, and the emotional journey of the musician. The cast capture these emotions through their star-studded acting and vocals. Ben-Adir perfectly captures Marley’s authenticity and view on life whilst Lashana Lynch, who plays Rita Marley (wife of Bob Marley), captures her steadfast and strong-willed nature.
“Sometimes, the messenger has to become the message.”
You do not need to be a die-hard fan of Bob Marley’s music to enjoy this film. It perfectly encapsulates the most important period of his life, how and why he spread his music. This film is for everyone and anyone, even if you only know two songs; this film will leave you jamming.
Featured Image Credit: Paramount Pictures
