Marley (2012)

94% of critics liked it
(88 reviews)
93% of users liked it
(18,657 ratings)

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… More 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 rare footage, incredible performances and revelatory interviews with the people that knew him best. -- (C) Official Site

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 2 hr. 24 min.
Directed By: Kevin Macdonald
Genres: Documentary, Musical & Performing Arts, Special Interest

In Theaters: Apr 20, 2012 Limited
Studio: Magnolia Pictures

Critic Reviews

Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail
Marley is highly watchable, finely crafted legacy preservation - and it's either a white-washed sham or awesomely shaded.
Peter Howell, Toronto Star
It wants to show us the man behind the famous dreads, beatific smile and durable songs of love, hope and longing. In this task it succeeds admirably.
Scott Bowles, USA Today
Sprinkled with riffs, concert footage and home videos, the family-authorized documentary does what the artist usually did: When in doubt, return to the beat.
Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader
Macdonald supplies some interesting and novel details about the musician's life and art, though the movie's narrative arc and documentary methods are totally predictable.
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
Bob Marley wrote the same song about 8,000 times, and the documentary "Marley" makes sure to include each version.
Tom Long, Detroit News
This is a life story worth telling, and "Marley" does it much justice. Marley may or may not have been perfect, but he was certainly fascinating.
Robert Denerstein, Movie Habit
Bob Marley's short but amazing life
Dan Lybarger, KC Active
Similarly, with 'Marley,' Macdonald provides some much needed context to the songs that have sold millions of copies throughout the world.
Jim Slotek, Jam! Movies
It is the work of a man with opinions, based on endless questioning and research.
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)
Kevin Macdonald's "Marley" is worth sticking with, and not just for diehard fans who had "Get Up, Stand Up" emanating from their dorm room speakers all through college.
Austin Kennedy, Sin Magazine
Bob Marley fanatics are going to treat this film like the Holy Bible.
Bob Grimm, Tucson Weekly
Will get you up to speed regarding all things Marley.
Sean Means, Salt Lake Tribune
For a movie this long, it's too bad there isn't more footage of Marley in performance, joyously bringing music to the world.
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
...likely as close as we'll ever come to a definitive film biography of this gnomic figure.
Kelly Vance, East Bay Express
Macdonald effectively lets the talking heads and the music explain the longevity of Marley's appeal.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
Recounts a short life that seemed to straddle worlds and eras, and perhaps the definitive portrait will never be filmed or written. Until it is, though, there's always the music.
Sam Bathe, Fan The Fire
A truly human portrait of an extraordinary life.
Tony Macklin, tonymacklin.net
Marley is a terrific documentary. It goes beyond one figure, and captures the essence of life itself. The film is as infectious and spiritual as one of his songs.
Shaun Munro, What Culture
Good documentaries make us want to know more about their subject. But great ones like Marley don't need to.
Mike Scott, Times-Picayune
It's certainly comprehensive, even if -- at two and a half hours long -- not exactly concise.

Read all 22 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Markus R

Director Kevin MacDonald and co-producer Ziggy Marley bring forth the most definitive look back at the life of Bob Marley, in the new documentary "Marley". From the formation of "The Wailers" and the comings and goings of different members of the band… More
Director Kevin MacDonald and co-producer Ziggy Marley bring forth the most definitive look back at the life of Bob Marley, in the new documentary "Marley". From the formation of "The Wailers" and the comings and goings of different members of the band (including Peter Tosh and Jimmy Cliff), to Marley's dealings in Rastafarian and how it bled into his Reggae music; and also from his controversial lifestyle punctuated by being a "womanizer" (eleven children from seven different women) to his humanitarian nature, this in-depth (two and a half hour) documentary will immensely satisfy fan and novice alike. I, like many other younger American non-Rasta's, had grown up knowing Bob Marley for his more commercially catchy hits and from his countless depictions on a multitude of shirts worn by numerous Bay Area potheads. But, being a novice, going into this film I wasn't particularly interested in seeing a two and a half hour movie about the life and times Bob Marley. A story I thought I knew, and had heard, countless times before. But that notion changed rather abruptly within the first few minutes of this movie. And by the end, due to the brilliant investigative journalistic nature of MacDonald which elevates "Marley" from an average movie to a MUST SEE documentary, audiences who see this film will walk out with an in-depth appreciation for the man who wrote some of the most poetic and revolutionary lyrics in music history. "Marley" is the no holds barred dissection of a particular subject (or subject matter) which fans of great documentaries will crave (and in fact, was nowhere to be found in the films of 2011). And for a documentary that was originally supposed to be directed by Martin Scorsese, after seeing what MacDonald has accomplished here, it would be hard to imagine "Marley" being more perfectly executed in anybody else's hands. What truly sets "Marley" apart from other bio-documentaries and A&E specials is how, in a very PBS way, MacDonald uses a seemingly endless amount of archival footage, as well as interviews with almost everybody (still alive) who had anything to do with Marley's upbringing and his life as a world famous musician, as the narration. It was quite apparent that MacDonald had full access to any and all information he wanted, and as far as I could see, he thankfully took complete advantage of this fact. As audiences, we hear from Marley's family and peers about how as a young boy he was an outcast because of his mixed-race. We also hear from notable Jamaican artists and record executives, who saw his maturation into a musician that worked to bridge the gaps, not only in Jamaica (during times of war) but nationwide as well. In this way, MacDonald enables audiences to intimately know Bob Marley on every level (get your mind out of the gutter). But all the pure information aside, what MacDonald does very well here is not creating a documentary which totally sanctifies Bob Marley, much as many movies (tributes) do when celebrities with checkered pasts die. MacDonald captures recollections of Marley from both those who loved the man and those who thought him to be nothing more than a womanizing zealot, who was sadly not as politically motivated as he should have been. Final Thought: Overall "Marley" is a brilliant example of an archetype onto how all biographical documentaries should be made. Grade "A" filmmaking, in conjunction with a larger than life subject (subject matter) is what elevates "Marley" into one of the most entertaining two and a half hour documentaries I have ever seen. If you are at all a Bob Marley fan (casual or otherwise) and if you are able to, see "Marley", any way you can, before Hollywood makes a more commercialized (legacy ruining) feature film version of his life in a few years; starring Mekhi Phifer no doubt. Written by Markus Robinson, Edited by Nicole I. Ashland Please visit my page on Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/x-52464-San-Jose-Indie-Movie-Examiner and leave any comments you have about this or any review. The more hits I get the better. Thank you. Follow me on Twitter @moviesmarkus
Tyler C

Without a doubt, the best documentary I've seen since Exit Through the Gift Shop! I'm more of an admirer than hardcore fan of Bob Marley, but Kevin Macdonald's "Marley" is a brilliantly constructed biographical doc on the social/political/musical prophet that… More
Without a doubt, the best documentary I've seen since Exit Through the Gift Shop! I'm more of an admirer than hardcore fan of Bob Marley, but Kevin Macdonald's "Marley" is a brilliantly constructed biographical doc on the social/political/musical prophet that Bob Marley was. It's incredibly detailed in just about aspect of the man's life, and the overall tone leaves you feeling so relaxed when watching it. Definitely one of my top 5 (maybe even 3) favorite films I've seen so far this year!