The documentary originally had Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Gangs of New York) attached to direct, only for him to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs, and various work with The Pretenders and Bruce Springsteen) then took the reigns, only to leave over creative differences. The film finally fell in to the hands of Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland), who looked to craft the definitive Marley story. Macdonald uses the near 2 1/2 hour running time to chronicle all aspects of Bob's life, for better or for worse. The film doesn't pull any punches, and highlights Marley's flaws as well as his genius. Macdonald really does cover all bases when giving his account of Marley; there's photographs, interviews, concert footage and more. A vast array of the key people in Bob's life are heavily featured here. There are interviews with several members of Bob's band, The Wailers, as well as interviews with various producers, friends and family, with his wife, Rita, given a large amount of screen time. Out of the reported eleven children that were reportedly fathered by Marley, only two are featured here, Ziggy and Cedella, with them giving varying thoughts on their father.
The film starts off by documenting Marley's upbringing, surroundings and family life in the slums of Jamaica's Trench Town. Born to a Jamaican mother and an English father, the young Bob struggled with his identity. Being neither white nor black, he struggled to fit in with his peers and was often left isolated as a result. It was only in his teenage years that Marley found an escape and optimism in music, using it as a tool to express himself and to connect to others. He started to collaborate with what would go on to become known as The Wailers, quickly picking up a following in Jamaica. From here, tours to the UK and the USA were on the horizon to see if the band could spread their message to a wider audience. Of course, this was achieved with a huge amount of success.
Whilst the film tells the well known tale of Bob Marley's musical ascendancy, it is the other parts of the overall picture that offer an insight into the lesser known parts of Bob's life and character. Whilst so often a sign of warmth, hope and celebration across the world, he was often distant and cold to those closest to him. This is discussed by those that truly knew the man, with he himself even describing himself as having the ability to be "as hard as stone yet soft as water". Ziggy Marley, the eldest of Bob's children, describes his father, whilst being loving, as not being overly tender and outward showing with his love for his children. That said, when a man has had eleven children by seven women then I'm sure the love can often run thin. The film makes no attempt to hide Bob's womanising ways, although those interviewed about the subject almost try to justify his actions, with his lawyer describing being faithful to one woman as a Westernised ideology. Regardless of your thoughts on the matter, all events are openly and honestly discussed by those involved. At one point, Bob's wife, Rita, claims that she was happy for Bob to have relationships with other women as it kept him happy and didn't detract from the greater mission - to spread their message as far and wide as possible. Bob's daughter, Cedella, has differing opinions on this, though.
One thing that the film did open my eyes to was the Rastafari movement. Whilst being aware of Rastas and Marley's beliefs, I was relatively unaware of the exact nature of Rastafari and how deep an influence it was on Marley's music. The documentary elaborates on the Rastafari way and their worship of Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia, and their belief that he was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. The film delves into the Rastafari faith but without ramming any particular beliefs down the viewers throat. It is fascinating to see the influence that all of this had on Marley, himself somebody that is now revered as an almost mythical, God like figure to millions across the globe. He managed to become a symbol himself, introducing the world to the heavily Rastafari influenced reggae style of music.
Macdonald's documentary is simply the definitive Bob Marley story. It covers the good, the bad, the tragic, the extent of Marley's touch on the world, and all things in between. Bob was an extremely complex individual; driven, conflicted, free thinking, expressive, loyal, caring, selfish, and somebody who showed extreme determination and willing in trying to make his voice heard and to unite people. The film is heartwarming at times, heartbreaking at others. It transitions seamlessly through all of the key influences and events in Bob's life, accompanied by a soundtrack of some of Marley's greatest work. All Bob Marley wanted was to make the world a better place. The film documents his struggle to make this happen, from his early days, living on the poverty line, up until his premature death at the age of 36 in 1981.
One thing that you'll notice about this film is the amount of smiles on show. Literally, every person is happy in giving their thoughts on Bob Marley and his influence on the world around him. Even during the moments that put Marley in a less than favourable light, the people being interviewed still give off a radiancy whilst giving their anecdotes. Those who watch this will struggle not to do the same. Whether you're a Bob Marley fan or not, this is a brilliant, informative, no holds barred, definitive look at an artist that transcended music and became a symbol of positivity for all people. I'd give Marley 4 guitar strums out of 5.
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