Marley (2012)

 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1183919/

Everybody has heard of Bob Marley, whether they are fans of his music or not his legacy remains impressive, a worldwide phenomenon. This documentary aims to explore the man behind the legacy, his roots and his story. Using interviews with family, friends and colleagues, footage of performances, radio and TV interviews and sweeping location shots, the film produces an in depth and extremely thorough portrait of a fascinating man.
Starting at the beginning in St Ann, Jamaica, where Marley was born, and then showing the poverty stricken Trench Town where Marley spent his youth we learn how he and his friends went to bed hungry and were told to “drink some water and go to bed”. He was treated differently for being mixed race, feeling like an outsider, which lead to him finding solace in music. Marley realised that music and his guitar were a way out and the documentary traces his determination and focus to ‘get out’. Gradually we see, through photographs, footage and anecdotes, Robert Marley progressively transform into Bob Marley and the Wailers, and help to create reggae. The film includes details of the Rastafarian religion that became Marley’s focus and the politics going on at that time in Jamaica which influenced a lot of the music. We learn of Marley’s love affairs and attempted killing. The film covers everything in his life through to his death in 1981 at the tender age of 36 and in 36 years this man achieved so much.
The story is interesting and Marley was certainly a fascinating person. As the film covers such a long period of time it is rather lengthy at nearly two and a half hours long and therefore drags a little but it is understandable that director Kevin MacDonald didn’t want to cut out anything. Considering its length it is pretty engaging throughout, even to someone who is not particularly a fan.
Beautiful aerial panning shots of Jamaica break up the interviews and footage and help to paint a picture of Marley’s roots. Music is obviously an integral part of the film but surprisingly doesn’t dominate, the filmmaker choosing to explore the person behind the music and how he reached the level he did. Marley comes across as a genuinely nice human being who just wanted peace in the world and even when we learn of his many love affairs resulting in him fathering eleven children, all is forgiven even by his doting wife.
This is an extremely thorough exploration of somebody who was a positive role model and achieved so much in his short life. His charisma and attitude to life was intoxicating and the documentary captures this throughout. MacDonald is adept at creating absorbing and flowing documentaries and this is no exception. There is a satisfying mixture of people interviewed including record label bosses, two of Marley’s children and the ever eccentric Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry who was a big influence on Marley. The 1970s were a fascinating period musically and it would have been nice to have a little bit of context placed with what Marley was doing, the film instead just focusing on what he did and where he went, never digressing.
Fans of Bob Marley will be pleased with the level of detail and dedication that has gone into this film and people either unfamiliar or just not fond of Marley will no doubt become mesmerised by this man if they choose to go and see the film. It would be difficult to make a bad film about such a fascinating person but as there is so much to cover it would also be easy to focus on the wrong things. For the majority of the time the film does focus on the right things and will ensure plenty more people will invest in the legacy that is Bob Marley.