For those of us who`ve only ever seen the iconic musician on the front of T-shirts and emblazoned on posters, Marley provides a comprehensive account of the life of Bob Marley, tracing his early, humble beginnings in a remote village in Jamaica, his rise to stardom, as well as his struggle and eventual demise due to cancer. Director Kevin Macdonald paints a beautifully comprehensive portrait of the man, his beliefs, and the socio-political environment in which he was raised. Of course, there`s the whole shebang of reggae riffs, Rastafarian dreadlocks, and and obscene amount of ganja, but Kevin Macdonald`s sober account eschews surface glamour for deeper insights into this myriad of colourful factors, delving deep into the images that made the legend.
Marley is a languorous, comprehensive pastiche of oral narratives from those closest to Bob Marley, as well as footage from interviews with the man himself. Anecdotes from his wife, lovers, band members and children paint a complex portrait of the fallible man behind the legend, providing a glimpse into his spiritual beliefs and the profound generosity that permeated his music, as well as his fallible nature, his dubious judgement, and his insecurity over his racial identity.
While this reviewer is admittedly an unabashed reggae fan, you don`t have to dig the music to enjoy the insights of the film. Marley`s alienation as a child – due to his half-African, half-white heritage of birth – and his ability to overcome that difference through the creation of his art, is bound to strike a chord with anyone who`s been discriminated against for being different, whether in terms of race, gender or sexual orientation.
To be fair though, the film does gloss over several controversial details of Bob Marley`s life: his political missteps, rampant promiscuity, and own absence as a father to his children are generally blurred, with choice lines from Marley`s camp defending his questionable behavior. Ultimately, one feels that Macdonald has stitched together a documentary that is apologist, rather than completely objective.
At 144 mins of run time, Marley may amble along at a pace that`s much too sedate for those who have little interest in the dreadlocked musician. If you`re a Marley fan though, you`re in for a nice trip.
Summary: A comprehensive- but perhaps not entirely objective- look at the man behind the dreads and the beatific smile.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Raphael Lim