The Life of Bob Marley

"Marley" Starring Bob Marley and Ziggy.

Directed by Kevin MacDonald.


     Like U.S. President Barack Obama, Jamaican-born singer Nestor Robert Marley, had a white parent and a black one. Obama's father was black, Marley's father was white. And like Obama, Marley never  really knew his dad.But unlike Barack Obaba, who forged his dreams in the world of politics, Marley's world was the world of music. In his very short life of 36 years, Marley embraced many  roles.includins
camoaigning for peace, womanizing, the religion of Rastafarianism, marijuana smoking, but abve all, reggae music. This music turned him into a superstar. By the late 1970,s, Marley was a worldwide icon.
     Kevin' MacDonald's documentary shows us the many sides of Bob Marley and not all of them are nice.
     "It was not fair to women," said one of Marley's many lovers said about his treatment of female lovers. One of his many daughters-he had  11 children with 7 women-complains about how much little love she got from her father
     He was a rough man," says one of his sons, Ziggy Marley.
     This fine film, with its scenes of rural and urban Jamaica seems to llack a focus. At times I wish an academic talking head would have popped up on the screen, and given the lowdown on Jamaican society.Still, many of
arley's children, fellow musicians and lovers speak on screen. Director MacDonald, has shown us many of Marley's sides and lots of his music. These make the nearly two-and-a-half hour movie well worth watching.