X
- 2012
- PG-13
- 2 h 24 m
- 2012
- PG-13
- 2 h 24 m
Summary Bob Marley's universal appeal, impact on music history and role as a social and political prophet is both unique and unparalleled. Marley is the definitive life story of the musician, revolutionary, and legend, from his early days to his rise to international superstardom. Made with the support of the Marley family, the film features rar...
Directed By: Kevin Macdonald
- 2012
- PG-13
- 2 h 24 m
- 2012
- PG-13
- 2 h 24 m
Marley
8.0
Where to Watch
Summary Bob Marley's universal appeal, impact on music history and role as a social and political prophet is both unique and unparalleled. Marley is the definitive life story of the musician, revolutionary, and legend, from his early days to his rise to international superstardom. Made with the support of the Marley family, the film features rar...
Directed By: Kevin Macdonald
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 32 Critic Reviews
82
94% Positive
30 Reviews
30 Reviews
6% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 32 Critic Reviews
82
94% Positive
30 Reviews
30 Reviews
6% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
It is gripping from the start, not just because of the quality of the music, but because of Marley's magnetic, challenging personality, as well.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 31 User Ratings
8.0
87% Positive
27 Ratings
27 Ratings
10% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
3% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 31 User Ratings
8.0
87% Positive
27 Ratings
27 Ratings
10% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
3% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
The best Bob Marley doc to be made as of yet. I would recommend to any Bob or just hardcore music fans. The music and interviews are intertwined perfectly to present a comprehensive portrait of Bob.
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Oh, I though that this was the review of the singer, LOL!! Still, I watched this documentary. It is the best documentary of Bob Marley. Keep doing awesome documentary, Mangolia Pictures!
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Marley, the new documentary about reggae icon Bob Marley opens on April 20 - of course. That date - often referred to as 420 - has been, since the 1970s, a time for people to gather to consume or celebrate pot. It has become an unofficial marijuana holiday, and Bob Marley has become the unofficial saint of marijuana.
The director, Kevin Macdonald, searches for clarity amid the contradictions of Marley's life and reaches no conclusions, but that's a tribute to his subject's complexity in a film of fascinating too-muchness.
What results is an immensely detailed overview of Marley's life and times, from the hillside Jamaican shack where he grew up to the snowy Bavarian clinic where he spent his last weeks in a fruitless attempt to cure the cancer that killed him in 1981, aged 36.
Marley celebrates the fact that its subject is still among us in the way that perhaps matters most: His music not only survives, it thrives.
The bloat and heft of Marley's narrative scope leaves the viewer awash in a sea of historical "facts" with very little sense of the human experience behind the curtain of celebrity.
Marley is a truly memorable documentary, and a glorious and fitting tribute not only to one of the biggest icons of reggae music but to a remarkable and fascinating man. From the very first jaw-droppingly beautiful aerial shot of Jamaica, Kevin MacDonald captivates you with his undeniable gift for documentary storytelling that really speaks to your heart. Rather than the usual dull "expert" talking heads, we watch interviews only from those who knew the subject best - his family, friends, band-mates and colourful neighbours. Bob Marley's life story is told in great depth and with incredible insight, and even the most ardent fan should come away better informed than before. I, for instance, never realised how central and domineering the Rastafarian religion was to Marley's life, nor how involved he became with political strife in South Africa and Zimbabwe. While some may accuse MacDonald of presenting an overly glamorous, rose-tinted view of Marley (he is clearly a fan), the way in which the documentary shows one of Marley's daughters talking about her father with such disdain and anger more than adequately covers his less-than-admirable personality traits. My only major criticism of the film is its running time, which is merciless. Consistently engaging though this documentary is, only the most dedicated viewer will get through the 2 hours 25 minutes unscathed. There's easily enough material here to split the story into two films, and then perhaps cover the darker elements of Marley's life in more detail. Over-long though it is, Marley remains a rewarding journey through an incredible life and wonderful music. The soundtrack, made up of Bob Marley's biggest hits in addition to some lesser-known early songs elevates the story even further, and not only allows you to re-appreciate his staggering talent, but in turn MacDonald's presentation of Marley's story allows you to glean the true meaning behind much of his songwriting. Everyone should be able to get something out of this tale of sunshine, passion and soul, but for a real fan of Bob Marley, this is essential viewing.
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While the journey of getting "Marley" to theaters was complex, (copious disputes over director/producers) it's documentation of the titular figure, to the audiences' dismay, is not nearly as intricate; his life, as delineated on-screen, although captured musically through some hit-nostalgic riffs, feels unfulfilled compared to his off-screen life that saw moments of controversy--one most notably leading to the untimely end of his young life. Although such musical symbolism is effective in attemping to resurrect his name and rememberance, the film simply doesn't find a way to make him "feel" real. Instead, "Marley" is laden with incessant interviews, often back-to-back-to-back, a handful conflicting with each other, without director Kevin Macdonald making the least amount of effort to clear up the equivocation. Also seldom, are archival interviews with Bob Marley, himself. One would think the filmmakers would make it a priority to document the "man" and keep "others" documenting him to a limit. There are plenty of pictures snapped of him, and a couple clips, too, but the film primarily contains anecdotes told through the eyes of those who knew him best, most notably his children. However, the lasting image that is painted by the filmmakers in "Marley" is one that bears the scars of elongated delays in production, combating takes on creativity, and the overlying blatency of the indecent indignity that is held over it all, the film being hand-me-downed to the second highest bidder. Even more insulting, is the "4/20"--unoffically National Marijuana Day--release date that reverts back to the long-held self-concept of Marley as a ganja-smoking, marijuana mascot for all to lampoon at; it's a proscribing shame of a legacy. Not only is it a cheap gimmick from producers to get the stoner's to theaters, but more importantly, it unworthily labels a man who stood for much more than toking up and listening to reggae music; the film will be shown to millions who know little of Marley, and it is them, that need to know the "true him" most of all. Sadly to say, the film does him little justice, excluding much more than is satisfactory. Ultimately, it's still highly entertaining--leaving you with "what might have ****...--even despite its 144 minute duration, which by its end, will supply one with a warm feeling to "jam."
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They made a **** movie out of a legend's life... This movie was so incredibly boring to me, all 2 hours 20 minutes of it. I tried watching it again to try make sense out of it again, but no, another 2 hours 20 minutes wasted, and I don't know how to use that amount for the quote "I want my __________ minutes back." That's Gone with the Wind and an episode of 24.
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Production Company
Shangri-La Entertainment,
Tuff Gong Pictures,
Cowboy Films
Release Date Apr 20, 2012
Duration 2 h 24 m
Rating PG-13
Genres
Awards
Motion Picture Sound Editors, USA
• 2 Nominations
Washington DC Filmfest
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
British Independent Film Awards
• 1 Nomination
