Bob Marley: One Love

He was a pioneering performer, deeply spiritual and philosophical yet radical and revolutionary. However, Bob Marley: One Love seems to capture only fragments of its subject’s spirit and essence.

A fully committed performance by Kingsley Ben-Adir in the title role bolsters this otherwise conventional biopic of the inspirational reggae legend from director Reinaldo Marcus Green (King Richard).

Although it sidesteps a generic rags-to-riches narrative trajectory, the film pales in comparison to the more comprehensive 2012 British documentary about Marley’s life and legacy.

This story stays rooted in the mid-1970s, when Bob already is established as the biggest celebrity in Jamaica during a time of political turmoil in the Caribbean island nation.

Although beloved by legions of fans for espousing peace and unity, he was viewed by some as a polarizing figure, leading to public threats and an assassination attempt. Bob flees to London, which separates him from his family but prompts a creative rebirth resulting in his seminal Exodus album that takes his popularity worldwide.

Still, the success causes friction with his wife (Lashana Lynch), who is one of his backup singers, and coincides with deteriorating health. Plus, even as he relocates overseas, he can’t escape the allure of his homeland, for better and worse.

Along the way, flashback snippets offer context regarding Bob’s earlier years, showing how he had always been a target for oppression and persecution, from the white father who disowned him to his impoverished upbringing to his alignment with Rastafarian ideals.

Aside from mimicking his speech and mannerisms, Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami) captures Marley’s infectious charisma with an underlying insecurity as he deals with the pressures of fame.

Immersing us in its time and place, inevitably the film sprinkles Marley’s greatest hits throughout, although we get only a cursory sense of what motivates and inspires him.

Finding its rhythm during studio and jam sessions with the band, the glossy screenplay is so intent on depicting its subject in a humble and hagiographic light that it sacrifices thematic depth and emotional nuance.

The resulting overview might provide a suitable introduction for the uninitiated, but it struggles to generate more substantial insight for Marley’s established devotees.

At least Bob Marley: One Love conveys the universal resonance of his message and depicts the enduring power and fresh relevance of his music, which transcends cultural and generational boundaries.

Rated PG-13, 104 minutes.