The flaw that stuck in my eye and stayed there was the wardrobe. Mind you, Anna B. Sheppard’s costume design is marvelous, but all the clothing in the movie looks like it has never been worn before. This includes all the trench town residents, who are supposed to be mired in poverty. Only in a movie could Jamaica be this sweat-free. There was only one glimpse of a stained shirt in the whole picture, standing out like a laser. I am sure Marley kept his threads clean, but every scene looked like either a fashion catalog shoot or a runway show.
Of course, no one in the full theater with me gave a fig about this or anything else one could be picky about. All they cared about was finally we have a Bob Marley movie. And they loved what was being rolled up and passed to them. Though imperfect, Bob Marley: One Love gets it right more times than not. Amazingly, the depiction of Marley’s herb consumption is spot-on. I was surprised about how much ganja smoking was able to get through a PG-13 rating. It also allows any confusion with audience members over plot direction to be chalked up to most of them getting stoned before going to see it.
Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley”, Anna-Sharé Blake as “Judy Mowatt”, Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley”, and Naomi Cowan as “Marcia Griffiths” in Bob Marley: One Love from Paramount Pictures.
“…surprised about how much ganja smoking was able to get through a PG-13 rating.”
The movie also puts a righteous emphasis on how Marley used weed as a spiritual instrument instead of an intoxicant. It is also remarkable how much of the Rastafarian religion comes across without getting heavy on specifics. I also thought it was a genius move to have Rita have the prominence she has in the picture. It is her presence that humanizes the iconographic Marley the most, as she is pure honey badger and don’t take no s**t. I also got a big kick out of seeing Marley go to a punk club to see The Clash.
This is exactly the kind of movie that improves on subsequent viewings, allowing you to enjoy it more once you accept the narrative on its own terms. It also leans hard on Marley’s deep commitment to his fight for justice through music. In this way, Bob Marley: One Love is sure to light a fire around the planet. So lighten up yourself when watching, and you’ll be jamming in no time.
"…is sure to light a fire around the planet."
