Review of Marley (2012) by Casimiro D — 16 Apr 2012

Not knowing much about Bob Marley beyond his music, I was curious to learn more about the man whose music captured the hearts of so many people around the world. I was excited to discover that the father of one of Declan's classmates that just happens to be a Wailer, Junior Marvin, was also in attendance at the screening.

This film tackles all aspects of his life from religion to family to politics. We start off getting insight to his early identity struggles as a biracial child in Jamaica whose white father is absent. "Captain" Norval Marley was an older Englishman that very little is known about other than he rode a horse. A cousin from the Marley side offered little insight on his mysterious uncle Norval, nor did he have much in the way of explanation for his white relatives that rejected Bob when he sought a connection after Norval's death.

As Marley gets older, he uses music as an escape from his impoverished life. He also discovers the Rastafarian religion which guides him through the turmoil in his native land. What is truly fascinating is how seamlessly he seems to unite the various aspects of his life. But despite his success, he continues to struggle to find the complete peace he seeks.

One example is his love life. Early in the film we are introduced to his wife Rita, a woman that seems to be the love of his life and who eventually joins the band and tours the world with Marley. However much later in the film we learn that he has many loves, including a headline making relationship with a beauty queen. Even more puzzling is the fact that these relationships take place openly in front of his wife.

This documentary was much more of a rollercoaster than I expected. It offers a glimpse at the many different sides of a man that was taken from this earth much too soon. Watching his struggles with cancer and reliving his last days was gut-wrenching. Fortunately the film ended on a positive note, showing footage from around the world of reach of Marley's music.