Upon hearing the name “Bob Marley,” the only things I normally think of are Jamaica, marijuana, and “One Love.”
Oscar-winning director Kevin MacDonald returned to his love of filming documentaries by putting together Marley, which encompasses more than just the musical history behind Bob Marley. The film delves into Marley’s philosophical and religious convictions, which I found to be the most interesting parts of the documentary.
Despite living in a house where my father and brother enjoy playing Marley on repeat I’ve never been much of a fan. Going into the documentary, I wasn’t expecting much.
The documentary follows Marley throughout his life – from his childhood in St. Ann, Jamaica to his musical startup in Kingston, leading into his tours and life in the United States.
I was glad to see that Rastafarianism and Marley’s induction to the religion was explored, because it gave a lot of insight and meaning to Marley’s actions once you begin to understand the beliefs behind it.
MacDonald’s impressive portrayal on the reggae legend left me quite fascinated, as he gathered different aspects of Marley’s life through extensive interviews with those who knew Marley at different stages in his career. The stories told by Marley’s friends and family were also accompanied by video and sound clips of old interviews and concerts throughout Marley’s lifetime.
The presence of Marley’s loved ones made the documentary feel much more personal and gave you a real glimpse into the extraordinary life that Marley led. There was no narrator acting as a background voice to give explanation – all that was provided by the people who knew Marley personally.
Thankfully the documentary wasn’t completely focused on Marley’s musical biography because those were the bits I found where I was less attentive and not as interested. Sure, Marley’s start up in the music business is different than someone who lives in California, but I still didn’t find it too intriguing.
The philosophical viewpoints of Marley gave me a better understanding of what he’s all about and the logic behind his actions. With clips of him explaining his political and religious viewpoints, along with additional commentary from friends and family, I was introduced to the concepts that consumed Marley’s thoughts and dictated his way of life.
The documentary is quite lengthy — almost two and a half hours — which made it difficult for me to be able to focus for that long, but Marley led a life interesting enough to make those two and a half hours worth it.
As someone who has never cared too much for the Jamaican-native, I found the film enjoyable and I doubt that Marley fans will be disappointed. Even if you’re like me — not exactly a fan, nor have too much of an opinion on Rastafarianism— the documentary turns out to be an interesting series of events.
