Bob Marley: One Love (2024)
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The film explores the life of reggae icon Bob Marley as he navigates political turmoil, personal struggles, and his quest for peace through music.
The story
In 1976, amidst armed political conflict in Jamaica, Bob Marley announces a performance at the Smile Jamaica Concert to promote peace. While preparing, Marley, his wife Rita, and members of his band, Bob Marley and the Wailers, are shot by assailants. Despite their injuries, they recover in time for the concert. Following the performance, a saddened Marley shows his wounds to the crowd and tells Rita to take their children to the United States while he and the band travel to London to record new music.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1976, Bob Marley announces a peace-promoting concert in Jamaica but is shot by assailants along with his wife Rita and band members. They recover and perform, but Marley later sends Rita to the U.S. while he records the 'Exodus' album in London. The album becomes a global hit, popularizing reggae and the Rastafari movement. During this time, Marley faces friction with Rita over his responsibilities and infidelities, and has a financial dispute with manager Don Taylor. Marley is later diagnosed with rare skin cancer. Faced with mortality, he reconciles with Rita and Taylor and returns to Jamaica in 1978. He forgives the gunman who shot him and debuts 'Redemption Song' to his family. The film ends with the band preparing for a peace concert featuring the song 'One Love.' A pre-credits montage shows the real Marley performing at the One Love Peace Concert and his final trip to Zimbabwe before dying of cancer in 1981.
- First release year
- 2024
- Runtime (minutes)
- 107
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English; Jamaican Patois
- Directors
- Reinaldo Marcus Green
- Writers
- Terence Winter · story; Frank E. Flowers · story; Terence Winter · screenplay; Frank E. Flowers · screenplay; Zach Baylin · screenplay; Reinaldo Marcus Green · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Kingsley Ben-Adir · Bob Marley; Lashana Lynch · Rita Marley; James Norton · Chris Blackwell
- Genres
- biographical; musical; drama
- Themes
- Peace; Mortality; Reconciliation; Cultural Influence
- Tone and mood
- Biographical; Dramatic; Musical
- Premise and plot tags
- Music Biopic; Historical Drama; Based on a True Story
- Source material / true-story basis
- The life of Bob Marley
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, with a Metacritic score of 43, but it was well-received by audiences, earning an 'A' on CinemaScore and a 91% positive score on PostTrak. It was a significant box office success, grossing $181 million worldwide and breaking records in Jamaica.
- Reported review scores
- CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F; PostTrak · score: 91%
- Production trivia
- The film's title was announced by producer Ziggy Marley at CinemaCon in May 2023.; The film was originally scheduled to be released on January 12, 2024.; The film's opening day gross in Jamaica set a record for the biggest box office opening of all time in the country.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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