Directed by King Richard‘s Reinaldo Marcus Green, One Love gives Bob Marley the biopic treatment, looking into a compelling life marred by war and buoyed by the hope for peace while head-bobbing to a ridiculous soundtrack.
The film stars Kingsley Ben-Adir (The OA, Peaky Blinders) as the Reggae icon with Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel) as his wife, Rita Marley. From the look of the trailer, the biopic focuses almost entirely on Marley’s adult life and career throughout his rise to superstardom, following the aftermath of an assassination attempt, and into his defiance in the face of death. Naturally, there’s a ton of concert footage with Ben-Adir swinging dreads and blasting some of the best songs written in the 20th century. This is one of those biopics where the star doesn’t really look like the person they’re portraying, but the performance will hopefully make us forget.
It’s an excellent contrast: the chill vibes of the music, the sometimes melancholy lyrics, and the real-life tragedies.
Bob Marley: One Love is slated for release in January 2024, but based on the subject and the personnel involved (and the fact that we’re seeing this trailer right now), don’t be too surprised when it’s released in a few theaters at the end of 2023 for awards eligibility.