Hitting theaters January 14, 2024, One Love starring Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley, Lashana Lynch as Rita Marley, and James Norton as Chris Blackwell is a biographical film based on the life of reggae singer and songwriter Bob Marley. One Love celebrates the legacy, life, and music of an idol to many who influenced numerous generations through love and oneness.

The film begins by diving into Bob’s childhood in a rural village in Jamaica where he was raised by his mother. As a young child Marley grew up in poverty and faced many challenges, but it was his discovery of vibrant music that sparked his passion for songwriting which I thought was really interesting.

The armed political conflict going on in Jamaica really added a sense of suspense and added a strong and powerful addition to Bob’s story. This conflict constantly affected his day to day life and he later announces that he will perform Smile, Jamaica to promote peace against the opposing factions of Jamaica. While preparing for the concert many members of his band and himself are shot and some die. Immediately after he recovers, he gets on stage to perform later showing his bullet wounds which I thought was a truly incredible and impacting scene in the film.

Marley’s record shattering album Exodus had impacted and drawn people from all cultures to that led to reggae music further popularizing. This part of the movie was by far my favorite, highlighting the peak of his music career while traveling the world. After a toenail infection leads to a concern from his directors and management, Bob is later diagnosed with Melanoma and ignores the treatment his fellow peers and doctors are recommending him. Bob Marley later died from this cancer which was a very sad and touching moment in the movie to see how much his fans were impacted by his work.

Walking into the movie I wasn’t expecting to be very engaged, however I thought the movie was truly entertaining. I would say this movie isn’t best suited for young children because of the violence and also just comprehension of what is going on in the movie. I would recommend this movie to teens and adults because of the opportunity that teens have to learn about his impact on generations prior, but also this movie would appeal to those who have wanted to learn more about this renowned artist. Overall, One Love provides a captivating representation of Bob’s life, displaying his activism, music, and his immense impact on the world.